Bird box
Make the most of your nature crafting session by building a bird box – take it home or put it up in our Scottish Borders woodland
February 24, 2024
Join a wildlife ranger for a hands-on three hour private group session to experience the joys of a Scottish woodland.
Spending time in nature has been shown to make people happier, so this is a relaxed morning or afternoon activity, aimed at helping you get the most out of your time in the woods. And you can feel even better knowing you are directly funding our schools and community nature education programme.
You’ll start with a nature walk along 1km of wheelchair accessible paths suitable for all ages. The wood features a mixture of conifers and native hardwood species – including more than a thousand young trees planted in the last couple of years.
The wood is home to a wide range of wildlife including a resident roe deer herd, which can often be glimpsed moving through the trees, along with badger, fox, stoat and bird, insect and amphibian life.
Along the way you’ll stop at the bird feeding stations, helping to top them up to attract some of the 40+ bird species recorded so far in this young community project. Great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch, tree creeper and long tailed tits are just a few of the species you’ll have a chance to see. We also have sparrowhawk, kestrel and tawny owl, along with kingfisher, dipper, heron and little egret on the river.
Your ranger will lead you on a conservation activity of your choice, which could involve checking birds boxes, building new habitat areas or helping create a new forest school area for local children and community groups.
Along the way we’ll take a break at the forest school tea, coffee or soft drinks and a bit of home baking.
The session will also involve a craft activity, which might involve making bird feeders or trying your hand at a bit of willow weaving. For a small additional charge you can build your own nest box and put it up in the wood or take it home.
Other activities might include a bit of citizen science and documenting the species observed on the day. For anyone interested in this, you can order the nature journalling add-on and you’ll get a nature journal to take away with you and a lesson in how to record your observations.
Prices start at £188 for a private group session for up to four people. Additional adults are charged at £47pp. Please note that prices are based on the use of your own transport: we can arrange minibus, coach or luxury vehicles at an additional cost. Contact us for details.
We run our nature experiences to give more people a chance to enjoy the wildlife of southern Scotland and to help cover the cost of our community nature and wildlife projects. All profits go back into the community interest company to enable us to continue to operate Mauldsheugh Wood, along with nature clubs, school visits and collaborations with other community groups.
Extend your activity for an hour with one of our add-on packages and pick up a souvenir of your visit
Make the most of your nature crafting session by building a bird box – take it home or put it up in our Scottish Borders woodland
Order a nature journal for your nature experience and our wildlife ranger will show you how to use it to record your observations
Get into nature and take home a memory of your time in the Scottish Borders with a super-comfy Go Wild Scotland wildlife ranger hoodie
Become a wildlife ranger for the day and explore the woods and riverbanks of the Scottish Borders
Take to the treetops, zip wire through the forest canopy and then relax with a Scottish Borders woodland wellbeing experience
Tips and advice on how to find and photograph the plants and animals that live in Mauldsheugh Wood