While our human homeowners are making themselves cosy in our landmark Port St Mary development, we’re thrilled to report some feathered friends have also taken up residence.
We recently received this wonderful update from DEFA (Isle of Man Government Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture) regarding the eastern elevation of the building:
“I was looking at the swift boxes on the east elevation of the Bay Queen at the weekend, and at least 3 of them are occupied with nesting house sparrows, which is great news!”
Every home we build now includes a bird box, and we have been installing them across our developments for several years now. The Bay Queen features 17 of these brilliantly clever nesting solutions, which are designed to be built directly into exterior walls, sitting perfectly flush with masonry or render.
Seamlessly integrated high up beneath the eaves, they provide a permanent, highly secure habitat right where these birds naturally prefer to shelter. They are also insulated against extreme temperatures, ensuring a comfortable and stable environment throughout the breeding season while keeping the occupants perfectly safe from predators.
Each box even features two separate internal compartments to give our avian neighbours plenty of room!
We are proud to work closely with Manx Wildlife Trust on this and other initiatives. As the Island’s first developer to become a UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man Partner, supporting local wildlife is a core part of how we build at Hartford Homes.
Developments such as Royal Park and Ballagarraghyn already feature integrated bird boxes alongside specially designed bee bricks and dedicated hedgehog highways. Our Braddan Woods development will also include these exact same habitats to help local biodiversity thrive.
A huge thank you to photographer Liam Gilman for heading down to Port St Mary to capture some brilliant shots of our newest neighbours settling in.