[Fleecewife]

A few years back we had 35 nest boxes on our land, most for tits, a handful for robins and blackbirds.  Somehow since then the number has reduced to 26, mostly through rotting that we haven't got round to replacing. 
We have just finished our annual nest box cleaning out session.  I am shocked to find that only 14 of the 26 remaining boxes were used last year.  Most years all but 1 or 2 are used.
What can the problem be?  The weather was bad and unseasonal last year, but would that really make such a difference?
We had a sparrow hawk nest fairly near to the bulk of the nest boxes, but surely birds would have at least started nest building, so I don't suppose it's that.
So could it be the effect of bird 'flu on the wild bird population?  We didn't have any cases on farms nearby, but most of Scotland's Bird 'Flu cases seem to be in wild birds and those which are reported are mostly in waterfowl I think.
We did notice that there were far fewer small birds locally last year than in previous years, but we found no dead birds lying around.

Has anyone else noticed a similar effect or are we just unlucky?
 

[Rosemary]

We only have a dozen boxes but all were used last season. Bird food usage is down a it, but not much. Like you, haven't seen any dead birds, other than cat caught ones, which are rare. Last year was apretty rubbish year.  for better this year.
I put my Merlin onlast week, the first time for ages, and had coal tit, blue tit, great tit, song thrush, reed bunting (never had that before), dunnock, roin, wren, goldfinch and chaffinch. Carrion crow, pheasant and house sparrow. Of course, no idea of numbers.

[Fleecewife]

I've just got the Merlin app, Rosemary     I haven't tried it yet because it's cold and windy and wet outside today.  There's a particular bird which come here every year - I hear it but I can never see it holding still for long enough to ID it by sight. So it's almost solely for that bird I got the app 
Yes, definitely fingers crossed for a better year for birds this year.

[doganjo]

What's a Merlin? and app

[Fleecewife]

A merlin is a bird of prey but also the name given to the app which allows you to record bird sounds and have them identified.  The app is a thingy which you get installed on your phone, which in this case is free.  I haven't tried it out yet.