Pete's box 2022

Thanks Paul - yes pretty unbelievable compared to the frustration last year.

And speaking of which, I'm fairly certain there's at least one egg just visible in my BT nest. 

There was a large fly buzzing about the box earlier this morning, taking great interest in what I believe to be the egg while the BT was off out, so that makes me think it must've had 'organic' matter on it as you might expect of a freshly laid egg.

What do you think? 



Later on...
Extra few pics from just before BT-bedtime... he came and gave her a goodnight snack before she settled down (and almost disappeared into the feathers & fluff)...

Fantastic news 🎉🥂

Just realising there could be another week of this - one egg a day, up to a max of maybe 10? 
Then another couple of weeks incubating.
I'm also curious how the eggs that are laid early on don't end up being incubated by the roosting activity, while the rest of the eggs are in the process of being laid. 
Maybe roosting doesn't produce the right temperature?
I've read somewhere that when incubation begins the female pulls feathers off her abdomen to create a patch of bare skin which transfers heat efficiently for incubation purposes.

Not much to report from today after the 2nd egg excitement.
The fussing and fiddling is all very much reduced and now only really happens in the hour leading up to roosting time.
She's spending hardly any time in the box during the day at the moment.

Here are a few more pics - early morning egg reveal, followed by a few from this evening at bedtime

Thanks Matt for the info.
Can’t wait for the egg hatching- the nest cup seems to be located in the spot where the camera’s most in focus, which is quite lucky.

Really good news Pete, all going superbly.  Great pictures too.
Sue

That's great Pete, keep those piccies coming.

I've had to wait all day for a glimpse of the eggs today - she had them so well covered from early morning right through to when she returned for bedtime this evening.

Egg #5 now added to the stash.

What do we think about warm sun on nest boxes? There've been a few hours today and yesterday where it's felt quite warm in the sunshine, and I look up and notice it shining onto the side of the box.
Can't help wondering if it's getting a bit warm inside. Hope the eggs are ok.

The temperature should be OK, my box is like that most years and they seem to be fine. Only very hot and prolonged spells usually effect it 🤞

As Len Goodman once said...

"Seven!"

This is so the best time of the year. I wonder how many she will lay.

Great pics Pete, she is going high, lot of mouths to feed, still awaiting the first egg here, they certainly get the leg over every day though!

Looks as if today's egg - #10 - is the last one.
She started incubating just over an hour ago by the looks of things.
Male is being very attentive with lots of feeding visits to keep her going.

At one point she burrowed right down into the eggs to shuffle them about, and you could clearly see the patch of bare skin she's created for incubating (pic 11 below). 

I guess this is it then, for the next couple of weeks!