The Project

The nest boxes offer a view into a world that normally remains hidden. From moving in and nest building to egg laying, hatching and the young birds finally fledging, their development can be followed at close range.

That is one of the most fascinating parts of the project: making visible what usually happens only a few centimetres away and yet remains completely unseen.

An observation at the feeding station led to the idea of providing hedgehogs in the garden with protected places to retreat. Today, cameras offer views of the entrance, feeding and sleeping areas without disturbing the animals.

This makes it possible to see not only when a hedgehog appears, but also how naturally it uses the spaces provided. And every now and then it becomes clear that sleeping hedgehogs have rather relaxed ideas about keeping the noise down.

The feeding station attracts many typical garden visitors: tits, goldfinches, woodpeckers, robins, pigeons, magpies, squirrels and occasionally rose-ringed parakeets. After dark, the night shift takes over with mice and hedgehogs.

Several camera angles make the feeding station one of the most varied parts of the project. What happens there cannot be planned, which is exactly why it is always worth another look.

Over the years, the drey has been many things: a tree-bumblebee nest, a feeding spot and a lounge for starlings, tits and mice. Only its intended role as a squirrel home has proved rather elusive.

After moving it to a new location, the hope remains that one of the garden squirrels will eventually settle in for good. The camera is ready in case the waiting room finally turns into a living room.