By: Michael Fox

Home Building team: (l-r) Frank, Mabanza, myself, Andy, Salinda, Greg, Jackson, Dulcie, Ryan and Jack

Meet the proud team building new homes for Brisbane birds.

Yesterday, I joined Frank, Mabanza, Andy, Salinda, Greg, Jackson, Dulcie, Ryan, Jack and Chris Lockhart SQW Project Supervisor at the Hendra Pony Club site for our second workshop making nest boxes.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work project of the Nundah Community Living Association Inc. is training and inspiring participants in environmental habitat restoration.

Introducing Pollinator Link

A nest box building workshop for future habitat heroes is a great opportunity to share the Pollinator Link® vision.

I first introduced participants to the threat of urban habitat loss and opportunities for creation for of a new city wide wildlife habitat by providing Water, Food and Shelter in backyards, balcony gardens, school yards and council parks to complement the island habitats like Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve.

Build team in action

We then moved onto the reason for the workshop: a critical shortage of tree hollows for hollow nesting birds and other species like Brisbane’s vulnerable Squirrel Glider.

Working with the build team was a real pleasure. They loved learning new skills and were happy to step up and show other team members how to something.

Waterproofing

Box design was from Hollow Log Homes’ book “Nest boxes for wildlife : a practical guide”. Also available from BCC Libraries. Timber for the nest boxes was cut to size by the Carina Men’s Shed. The Shed also provided invaluable assembly jigs that allowed the team to produce a consistent quality box.

Last step was a coat of Lanotec Timber Seal an eco-friendly low toxicity lanolin-based waterproofing.

Salinda installing Scaly-breasted Lorikeet box

This morning I re-joined the team to install two nest boxes in trees at the Pony Club site.

Frank installing Rainbow Lorikeet box

Fun in the sun: Installation Team

Enter a Fun in the sun: Installation Team (l-r) Frank, Salinda, Halima, Greg, Andy, Jackson, Gilby, Ryan, Abraham (CLA), Mabanza, Jack, Chris Lockhart