Tit Box 15th Feb 2010

Not a lot has been happening over the last couple of days. The box is still being frequently visited both with birds taking nesting materials in and then taking it out again. Whether or not it is the same birds all the time, I don't know. It would be so interesting to know what is going on in their little bird brains!

This morning I finally got a short video of something I have often seen on the screen but not been able to capture. When the bird brings a bit of nesting material in, it spreads in wings and tail out and does a strange sort of shuffle- I assume to spread the nesting material around the floor:

(Again, if you are reading this on FaceBook you will have to go the original site to view the video. If it looks like a plain black square just click on 'play' you should see the action).

Here is a photo showing the location of the box, on the side of the garage wall opposite my kitchen door. I get a good view of it from where I usually sit at the kitchen table wasting time on this laptop!

... and here is a close-up of the box - if you look carefully you can see a little blue tit peeping out.

You can see an opaque perspex window on the side - there is one on the other side too. These are to allow light in for the camera. They don't seem to bother the birds.

Blue Tit Nesting Box Feb 13th 2010

For Christmas 2008 my daughters gave me a blue tit nesting box with built in camera for viewing inside the nesting box on a TV.

I didn't put it up in 2009 knowing I was going to be away during the critical time (see link to my travel blog in the column on the right) so I put it in place a couple of weeks ago for this year's nesting/breeding period. I have placed it in the same place as an old, well-used one in the hope that the tits will know the location and approve of their new upgraded home.

About a week ago I was delighted to see tits frequently going in and out of it - obviously giving it the once-over to see if it was suitable for them to move in.

A few days later bits of twigs etc. started to appear and I became convinced that nest-building was starting. Exciting times!

Then today strange things started to happen: birds were appearing and taking the nesting material OUT of the box. It can only be one of two things: either the prospective tenants had found better accommodation; or rivals were coming in and thieving. Only time will tell.

It is very early days yet, winter still being upon us, and I suspect it will be few weeks before things begin to seriously happen.

Here is my first attempt at posting a video. The camera is situated in the roof of the nesting box so the aspect is looking down to the floor of the interior. (Sorry about the background noise - I am new to this and will try to find a way to get rid of it)

(The video doesn't seem to appear on the FB version so if you want to see it you will have to go to http://judy-bluetitnestingbox.blogspot.com/. )

I have decided to keep a track of this nesting box on a blog and post it to Facebook so those who are the slightest bit interested can read it and look at the photos/videos. Those who aren't interested can ignore it - easy!

I will blog again as and when interesting things happen. I know that if this nesting box is successfully occupied I will become addicted to it. What with the laptop/internet here in the kitchen window and now this compulsive bird-spying during daylight hours I will become even more rooted to this chair and even less will be done around the house!