Post by Sheena on May 19, 2019 16:33:50 GMT
Hi everyone
I have been very remiss in posting to the forum this year, but I have kept note of dates so I can report the following:
27 March Blue tits began nest building. They were in a hurry because by
7 April we saw one egg and Mrs Blue Tit began roosting at night. In fact she probably started laying on around 3 April because
19 April there were nine eggs and Mrs Blue Tit began brooding the eggs.
1 May The eggs hatched - always difficult to see how many, but we counted a definite seven chicks and could see one egg not hatched. At some stage, one bird must have died because
19 May there are now 6 birds on the verge of fledging - 2 big, 2 medium and 2 small.
I will let you know when they leave the nest. I am always surprised that they all (usually) go on the same day because there is a big difference between the biggest and the smallest.
The weather was cold and wet when the eggs hatched so I put out mini meal worms and wax worms, but to no avail (although the other birds had a feast). We tried, as many of you have, moving them to different locations, but it didn't help. Last year we had no nesting birds, but the year before, the birds did find (after 3 days) the worms and happily used them to feed the chicks - I am sure this is a different pair this year. However, I have to say it was only at the beginning that I was worried, because now the garden is humming with insects and the parents seem to have no trouble bringing in lots of food.
We have a new bird box and camera this year, a wifi one. The pictures are not great and I think the software is to blame (I've been using XMEye and I am not impressed). But it will have to wait until the birds depart. The adults zip in and out of the box at very high speed, impossible to photograph but I will see what I can do.
We have had years when all the chicks have died - one when this happened two days after hatching. It is very sad but you have to look forward to next year's clutch.
Sheena
I have been very remiss in posting to the forum this year, but I have kept note of dates so I can report the following:
27 March Blue tits began nest building. They were in a hurry because by
7 April we saw one egg and Mrs Blue Tit began roosting at night. In fact she probably started laying on around 3 April because
19 April there were nine eggs and Mrs Blue Tit began brooding the eggs.
1 May The eggs hatched - always difficult to see how many, but we counted a definite seven chicks and could see one egg not hatched. At some stage, one bird must have died because
19 May there are now 6 birds on the verge of fledging - 2 big, 2 medium and 2 small.
I will let you know when they leave the nest. I am always surprised that they all (usually) go on the same day because there is a big difference between the biggest and the smallest.
The weather was cold and wet when the eggs hatched so I put out mini meal worms and wax worms, but to no avail (although the other birds had a feast). We tried, as many of you have, moving them to different locations, but it didn't help. Last year we had no nesting birds, but the year before, the birds did find (after 3 days) the worms and happily used them to feed the chicks - I am sure this is a different pair this year. However, I have to say it was only at the beginning that I was worried, because now the garden is humming with insects and the parents seem to have no trouble bringing in lots of food.
We have a new bird box and camera this year, a wifi one. The pictures are not great and I think the software is to blame (I've been using XMEye and I am not impressed). But it will have to wait until the birds depart. The adults zip in and out of the box at very high speed, impossible to photograph but I will see what I can do.
We have had years when all the chicks have died - one when this happened two days after hatching. It is very sad but you have to look forward to next year's clutch.
Sheena