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Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 14, 2022 15:35:37 GMT
The usual for when building starts around this time Matt, I normally get 1 piece of material mid march then nothing for a week or so! You're stone box in our garden is getting alot of attention at the moment, I think its different females looking at the Tree box, Stone box & Log box at the moment. Decent amounts of material in that Starling box now! hope he gets a female
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Post by matt on Mar 14, 2022 16:46:14 GMT
Yeah she's all over the place at the moment Paul! Brought in a bit more stuff this morning for about 10 minutes, then took it all out straight after. This afternoon she had another burst and brought in about 10 bits of moss, now quiet.
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Post by matt on Mar 16, 2022 18:08:32 GMT
Tony has decided to roost in one of the concrete 3 hole boxes, but not the one that has been getting all the interest. This is a first - I haven't had a rooster all winter! Not much action today with all the rain. Now we look set fair for a week or more, so let's see what happens. Yesterday she brought some more stuff in, then took it all out again and now we seem to be back to square one.. Starling visits continue, and a few interested ladies today looking through the hole, although none went inside. I think my boy needs to up his game! Although to be fair he seems to be doing a good job of leaf and twig gathering.
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Post by sammi on Mar 16, 2022 20:39:51 GMT
Exciting times ahead Matt. I have had a rooster male bluetit most of the winter but he's disappeared this week. Maybe yours is staking out a claim on the box.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 16, 2022 22:36:49 GMT
You sure its tony and not a female Matt? or is it easy to tell your male and female apart
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Post by matt on Mar 16, 2022 23:07:31 GMT
Not 100% sure Paul. If it is a female, I don't think it is the female that has been going in the other box with Tony. I noticed some black marks near the beak like Tony "scarface", but didn't get a brilliant look - I wasn't completely sure at the time I must admit, but I do have some footage I can check..
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Post by suep on Mar 21, 2022 10:12:05 GMT
Things are looking promising for you Matt, I really hope it’s a good year for you - if anyone deserves it, you certainly do. Sue
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Post by matt on Mar 25, 2022 11:22:03 GMT
Update from me:
The starling seems to have given up, unfortunately. After a last gasp effort about a week ago, where he spent a full couple of hours more or less uninterrupted in the box - presumably trying to lure a female in - he left, and hasn't been back. There is a lot of material in the box, but it seems it was all in vain. A bit disappointing that one.
The blue tit still hasn't committed to building a proper nest. She has been quite busy just about every day now for two weeks, and every single day she starts by removing all material from the box. She usually then brings in/out material for much of the rest of the day, but there has never quite been enough material to cover the floor. She had quite a lot in at one point this morning, but has just taken it all out again. I know they can be finicky early on, but this seems extreme?
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Post by Ann70 on Mar 25, 2022 11:41:25 GMT
Hi Matt Hopefully she will make her mind up still plenty of time for a nest. ☘️🤞🏻
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Post by pete11 on Mar 25, 2022 19:06:59 GMT
Oh Matt how disappointing. I guess there’s still time for things to get going. Fingers very crossed for you.
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benn
Senior Member
Posts: 138
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Post by benn on Mar 26, 2022 10:03:11 GMT
Frustrating re the Starling Matt. We had the same experience last year, although our male did not bring any material in. Good luck with the Blue Tit. The Weather is set to go colder next week, your Blue Tit female senses this and the in and out behaviour is basically her way of maintaining the nesting instinct throughout this period.
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Post by matt on Mar 26, 2022 10:28:55 GMT
Thanks Benn - yeah, that's what I'm hoping with the BT. Plenty of interest, 100+ visits a day taking material in/out so unlikely to be building elsewhere yet I guess/hope. They've always seemed to start a little late with me despite being on the South coast - usually April. It is frustrating to watch her spend an hour bringing a load of stuff in, only to take literally every last bit of it out again - and do this every day for 15 days! Funnily enough the (or "a") starling returned today for the first time in over a week and spent a couple of minutes in the box so maybe still a glimmer of hope there. I have no idea how the process runs for them, so maybe this is normal or maybe not.
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Post by matt on Mar 29, 2022 8:49:06 GMT
A wren has popped into the "robin" box, which is notable because nothing ever goes into this box! A quick Google suggests that wrens might be later nesters ("late April"), so perhaps there is a chance here? Won't be holding my breath of course, but would be great! It is not actually the first time a wren has been in, I did see one a month or so back very briefly but certainly not regular. In other news, the starling has made a reappearance over the past few days. Nothing like as consistently as before (he has been away two weeks), but he did go inside and even brought another bit of material in yesterday, so who knows? Perhaps there is a still a chance. The bluetit continues to bring material in, and then take it out again. We are in week three of this with no sign of more consistent nest building yet, but still daily visits and periods of fairly frantic activity. Funny old thing!
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Post by suep on Mar 29, 2022 15:37:16 GMT
These birds certainly play with our emotions and keep us on our toes- still got everything crossed for you Matt. Loving thevwren, wouldn’t that just be lovely . Sue
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Post by sammi on Apr 1, 2022 7:42:56 GMT
Oh goodness me. Wouldn't it just be wonderful to have a wrens nest to watch. I so hope everything goes well with the starlings too. I love this time of year
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Post by matt on Apr 8, 2022 17:37:33 GMT
Update: You might recall that my BT first started bringing material into the box on 10th March, which is 4 weeks ago - and since then she has brought material in and taken most of it out again on an almost daily basis. I have no idea what is going on, but Benn's suggestion that she isn't ready but wants to keep the instinct going seems plausible. Anyway, today she started bringing in quite a bit more material than usual, and hasn't taken *that* much out - although she is still bringing bits in and out quite a lot. Still not 100% sure I guess whether she'll go for it, but I'm feeling more optimistic after today. Here she is this evening - this is the most material that has been in the box so far, so let's see what tomorrow brings.. The starling continues to visit and bring in the odd bit of material in the mornings, after having 2 weeks away. Today a female spent a bit of time at the entrance with the male inside, but was not convinced. It all seems to be getting a bit late, but I'm still hopeful something will happen here..
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Post by Ann70 on Apr 8, 2022 19:00:03 GMT
Hi Matt Think the weather is confusing them it’s looking promising for you though.next week temperatures are meant to be warmer then things will hopefully settle down and the birds and us will know what’s happening for sure
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Post by Taz on Apr 9, 2022 8:29:38 GMT
I think they're toying with you Matt. Fingers crossed she makes her mind up.
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Post by matt on Apr 9, 2022 9:27:34 GMT
I think they're toying with you Matt. Fingers crossed she makes her mind up. She's taken most of it out again this morning Taz!! But I have to say she is so busy in there that I can't believe this is a backup nest and she has another elsewhere - but let's see. My earliest nest before this year was 8th April, so this would be bang on time wise - just weird that she started with material a full month ago, that was new to me. Fingers crossed anyway as you say - they are funny old things! The amount of effort she has spent over the last month bringing material in and out she could probably have built 5 nests..
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benn
Senior Member
Posts: 138
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Post by benn on Apr 9, 2022 9:58:53 GMT
I am positive she has chosen your box Matt looking at the photo above. Its this cold weather that is holding them back.
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Post by pete11 on Apr 9, 2022 10:58:37 GMT
I'm starting to get frustrated with my now-3-week-long BT nest situation as nothing seems to change other than a lot of fussing and fiddling about, in little flurries with long gaps of time between. This morning was slightly different in that soon after leaving first thing in the morning she came in again and sat there for a good while with 2 feeds from the male. Who knows!
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Post by sammi on Apr 9, 2022 12:32:47 GMT
If it's any consolation our bt nest is slow. I think they are waiting for a few more degrees on the thermometer and then things will kick into overdrive The sparrows too are in no hurry. Timing wise though I think things are still on course.
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Post by Ann70 on Apr 9, 2022 12:57:34 GMT
Stay positive Matt warmer week ahead and everything will kick off we won’t know why we doubted them It is a long wait for us, haven’t we been there so many times before and still go through it 😊
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Post by suep on Apr 9, 2022 15:06:33 GMT
Same as everyone else says Matt, I think it’s just the weather that is making them take their time. Frustrating as it may be watching, i think it is all looking positive for you. Sue
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Post by Taz on Apr 9, 2022 16:28:48 GMT
I think she had chosen your box as a nest, certainly too much effort for a backup nest. like you say bang on time judging by past years
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