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prototype willow duck nest tube


islandgun
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Made this today from willow grown on our croft. I was going to make a couple of tubes using mesh and straw but seeing that i have lots of willow, i googled willow nest tubes to see, The ones i saw have a closed end but i thought it might be better to have an exit if/when the otter came nosing about, im going to make another couple to stick down on my pond,  Anyone with tubes please comment on practicality and possible improvements

 

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another pic

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Edited by islandgun
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22 minutes ago, spandit said:

Fantastic work. Looks like green willow so you might have issues when it dries but think I'll have a go myself

It is green but i was thinking that with the rain we get up here, it would remain damp ! . I cut it yesterday and it took a bit less than 2hrs to make. bit of fun really but  It would be fantastic if it has a brood or two.. lets us know how you get on

54 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

They look great 

no experience of the tubes but great to experiment with them 

do you also make lobster pots 

look forward to seeing how they do 

All the best 

of 

Cheers of,  I did make a lobster pot with the help of a very nice lady down in Devon but not attempted one since, Ive just made a few bird feeders and other simple stuff. 

21 minutes ago, wisdom said:

Top job there.

Pop some photos up when their occupied.

will do..:good:

Edited by islandgun
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I don't know a great deal about basket weave but I know back during the last years of the war when we had Italian prisoners of war, they were brilliant at weaving baskets and we had a large osier bed below the orchard.  If I remember they boiled the canes before stripping the bark and thenweaving them.   Those duck baskets should work and look forward to the results

Edited by Walker570
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9 hours ago, Teal said:

Looks fab, reminds me I was to make one of these this year! I was just going for wire lined with hay though ( http://www.westmorlandwildfowlersassociation.co.uk/detail.cfm?newsid=8&page=2). Seems a great thing to do - good luck with it!

cheers, looking at those vids the tubes are given as 3ft. Im wondering if mine arn't too short at at 2ft. also will hoodie crows get in and take the eggs ?

9 hours ago, ditchman said:

bloody hell you are spoiling them  ...its got a veranda............

we like to call it decking mate..;),, seriously though, i copied the idea from this..... but Im doubting the need, and will it make it easier for crows to get in

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33 minutes ago, spandit said:

If anyone wants some live willow cuttings to start your own plantation we have plenty. The osier grows up to 14' a year (that's feet, not inches)

Thats a very good offer, we have sold 1000's of 2ft cuttings over the years.. i love them.  just stick em in the ground 

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In the hope of making my croft more attractive to woodcock i've laid some of the older stuff over, thinking it would make a very good cover especially when the regrowth thickens it up. this could also make a good cover for pheasants perhaps.

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Edited by islandgun
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On 18/03/2019 at 19:00, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Eel traps and creels to follow?

Crayfish trap would be straight forward enough..:good:

 

On 18/03/2019 at 21:09, Walker570 said:

I don't know a great deal about basket weave but I know back during the last years of the war when we had Italian prisoners of war, they were brilliant at weaving baskets and we had a large osier bed below the orchard.  If I remember they boiled the canes before stripping the bark and thenweaving them.   Those duck baskets should work and look forward to the results

Cheers, The Italians were using the technique "boiled for buff" Im drying a load this year and will see about making a few different things after they have been soaked, as this helps stopping shrinkage.

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1 hour ago, spandit said:

Here's my effort:

2086858371_ducktube.jpg.c12148b3610bba019d9a79a1aa36ab1d.jpg

Don't know if the height is OK or whether it needs to be further over the water. As the trees grow it should get higher anyway.

Brilliant ! I really like  the foil at the back to deter raiders, yet still give a determined duck the option to push out if needed,  The height would certainly keep mink out, I will be adopting the foil idea, as ive made another but longer than the first and it used to much willow, hope you get some results.... time for me to experiment.. cheers

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2 hours ago, islandgun said:

Brilliant ! I really like  the foil at the back to deter raiders, yet still give a determined duck the option to push out if needed,  The height would certainly keep mink out, I will be adopting the foil idea, as ive made another but longer than the first and it used to much willow, hope you get some results.... time for me to experiment.. cheers

 

That was me being lazy! I intended to close the end off completely with weaving but the withies I'd harvested weren't as flexible as I'd have hoped and kept snapping. The log I'd drilled was really heavy too and having had abdominal surgery last week, heaving round a great big block wasn't something I was up to doing. Just folded the ends round and left them... could probably use some more string for attaching it to the uprights

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51 minutes ago, Terry2016 said:

They look great, well done.  

One observation would be to pack them with hay the ducks like to nest in something warm. 

I look forwards to some pictures of young dropping out...

That was something i was wondering about, a handful or two of hay/straw might just be enough to convince a duck to have a look

50 minutes ago, spandit said:

 

That was me being lazy! I intended to close the end off completely with weaving but the withies I'd harvested weren't as flexible as I'd have hoped and kept snapping. The log I'd drilled was really heavy too and having had abdominal surgery last week, heaving round a great big block wasn't something I was up to doing. Just folded the ends round and left them... could probably use some more string for attaching it to the uprights

I think you have hit on the right idea,  a few rods tucked in and bent over, might put off a crow but still be enough for a duck to escape, 

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