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Post by Beechnut on Apr 9, 2020 8:55:18 GMT
Wish I had your optimism GBH - It's been about 12 days since she laid the first egg - never known or heard of anything like it before!!
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 9, 2020 9:50:28 GMT
Meg is still coming into the box with a beak-full of soft stuff, tosses it down and pokes around the nest and rearranges the bit of wool - it's now at 6 o'clock. Currently she's having a little sit on the 2 eggs...........
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Post by petesbox on Apr 9, 2020 9:53:56 GMT
Perhaps she's a young bird and has'nt quite got the hang of it yet.
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 9, 2020 10:04:48 GMT
That's what I thought Pete - mind you it's no wonder they are in decline if this is what goes on in the first year of their very short life!
She's vacated the box after sitting for 12 minutes, leaving the eggs uncovered!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 9, 2020 10:47:19 GMT
Be interesting to see how many eggs she finally has Beechnut.
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 10, 2020 5:30:04 GMT
Morning and Happy Easter everyone - enjoy and Keep Safe!
Nothing to applaud about this box today - still only 2 eggs.
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Post by Ann70 on Apr 10, 2020 7:15:58 GMT
Happy Easter, it will be one we will all remember, hope everyone can stay safe and occupied
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 10, 2020 15:11:50 GMT
Meg has supposedly started incubating her 2 eggs. During the period of four and a half hours from late morning to mid afternoon, she spent 40% of the time on the nest, being fed two or three times by Mac.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 10, 2020 16:16:24 GMT
Do you think she will lay a 3rd tomorrow Beechnut and settle with a small brood?
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 10, 2020 17:39:23 GMT
I'll be very pleasantly surprised if she lays any more now Paul.
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 11, 2020 9:37:17 GMT
Here are my two boxes this morning - Meg spending relatively long periods on her clutch of 2 eggs in the Wallbox and the slow progress of the Cherry Tree box waiting for the cup area to be established just under and above the CHERRY T wording.
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 11, 2020 9:56:19 GMT
Is there anyone on here got any GT or BT eggs yet, beside Pete and Myself?
I've just trawled through several threads and Paul's BT seems to be the only one anywhere near to having eggs. (Apologies if I missed anyone)
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Post by suep on Apr 11, 2020 10:01:55 GMT
Happy Easter Beechnut š£. I canāt think of anyone else, seems a strange year. Paulās must be close, and donāt know if you look on Malcolmās and Elizabethās at all but they must be very close now. No, I think the race for first chick is between you two. Sue
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 12, 2020 8:45:26 GMT
Hi Everyone Here's a pic of my two boxes a few minutes ago - sorry forgot to crop - Meg is having a mini break from incubating and the BT's nest looks exactly as it was around this time yesterday. I hope that doesn't mean that I'll be in same position with them as several on the Forum - in limbo, waiting for them to make their minds up!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 12, 2020 10:04:17 GMT
Mine isn't on a recorder sadly Beechnut so I wouldn't know, I usually turn my box on around 9:30 / 10am and the cup is long covered by then. Female is hardly visiting during the day now, Just a handful of times with some wool or moss, She is roosting in the cup everynight takes all the material out she's covered the cup with during the day, So It looks like she may be laying at the moment, However I don't know how many or seen any but her behaviour is suggesting she is laying.
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 12, 2020 16:47:15 GMT
Good Luck with that then Paul.
Don't really think my BT nest has been disturbed today.
Might be something different happen tomorrow, the temperature is going to drop to around 9C.
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Post by Taz on Apr 12, 2020 19:52:37 GMT
Fingers crossed for you Beechnut,
Hopefully both nests will produce chicks
Taz
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 14, 2020 18:51:54 GMT
In reply to Elle from my cherry tree thread ..
It may well be a 'first time mum' but how can I tell? I reckon by the Law of Averages in the last 12 years of GTs in the boxes, I would have had a FTM, and in that time, the lowest clutch I've had is 5, all laid and hatched normally. So how is a FTM defined?
This is the first time I've had a 9 day gap between the only two eggs laid.
I have written to RSPB about the small clutch and gap, but they are on lockdown, with I presume, many working from home using email, so it may be a while before I get a reply - if at all.
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Post by Beechnut on Apr 15, 2020 17:47:21 GMT
I'm afraid I have bad news to report - it seems that I shall probably have the first season for 15 years that none of my birdboxes will have anything to hatch and fledge.
After a morning of normality, with Meg doing egg turning, cup cleaning, nest tidying, tight sitting and comfort breaks, she left the box at 12:06 and hasn't returned since.
As Mac has been several times this afternoon back to the box with a tit-bit, calling to Meg and flying away when there was no response, I can only assume that she has been predated.
I have had a male predated some years ago, half way through the rearing stage, but never a female. The only consolation, is that I can't be sure that either of the eggs were viable, so it may be a blessing in disguise.
It looks as if I shall just be a spectator this year, unless I am lucky enough to get late or second nesting.
Good Luck to those still waiting for a nest and others who are between nest building and hatching.
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Post by suep on Apr 15, 2020 17:54:52 GMT
Oh Beechnut, this is so sad. I feel so sorry for you. Has been a very strange start to the season for many of us. I really hope nothing awful happened to her, but you will probably never know. Such a shame with all your patience and waiting in between the two eggs. I know how we all long for this time of year. Big hugs . Sue
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Post by Taz on Apr 15, 2020 18:02:20 GMT
So sorry to hear this Beechnut, I'm sure we were all routing for those eggs, poor Meg.
Taz
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 15, 2020 18:21:41 GMT
Oh Beechnut Shows you how vulnerable these little birds are, And how quickly something can happen to them. I hope your BT start building again or you get a second attempt with GT if the male can find a new female! Really sad news though
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Post by Ann70 on Apr 15, 2020 18:29:42 GMT
oh thats such a shame, so sorry to hear this, more upsetting than not having a nest at all. Hope you are lucky enough to have another pr to come along and start their nesting and have a successful brood, everything crossed for you beechnut
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Post by petesbox on Apr 15, 2020 22:21:58 GMT
Sorry to hear that Beechnut, what a shame.
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Post by sammi on Apr 16, 2020 5:20:02 GMT
Oh Beechnut that is so sad. I know birds are predated but it seems so harsh when they are in the nesting period. Let's hope he finds another mate. Not too late yet. Fingers crossed.
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