This Year's Guests

A few years ago now I asked for a Ecowatch nest box camera for my Christmas, possibly 2004. The first year nothing nested to my disappointment, the second year a pair of Blue Tits made it home, the year after they chose another box within in the garden, and this year well...

The camera cables are plugged into my TV so that i can just press AV and there it is, so the time of year comes when you can start to see pairs of birds defending territories in the garden. The whole family from my lil sis who's 12 tomorrow to my Grandma and Grandad, and the occasional relative who comes round are all keen on watching whats happening in the box, always asking if there's anything nesting this year.

This year started as any other with Blue Tits singing in the tree in the back, looking good I had a look in the box, only to find so thin sticks within. I knew that the Blue Tits weren't nesting this year as they don't use twigs, just mosses, hair and a few grasses, but Great Tits didn't regular in the Garden, all we seem to get is Starlings, Woodpigeons, Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Dunnocks, a few House Sparrows and a Wren. After a few days the family started hearing and seeing the male in the Garden, and also pecking the hole of the box. On the 14/04/09 the bird was seen taking material into the box.

I always enjoy watching birds bring up young in the garden and this new species got me excited. So far in our garden we have had, Starlings nesting every year in the nest box, Blue Tits on and off, a failed Woodpigeon nest, and a failed Robin Nest.

The nest was complete by the 23/04/09 and eggs were suspected under the hair lining of the nest. By the 24/04/09 the bird was sitting and sleeping on the nest, and turning eggs with her breast and legs. That night I caught me first glimpse of 5 eggs, so i knew there was still more to come, with the average bird laying roughly from 9-12 eggs. Next day there was 6 eggs and this hasn't increased. Incubation started properly on the 04/05/09 with the male feeding the female regularly, and the female sleeping in the box tonight.

I have a prediction that the eggs will hatch on the 18th of May, we'll see how close I am.

Here a few pictures of the bird in the box and the eggs.

I would highly recommend the Ecowatch Camera's and their service.