Hi,
We have a little blue tit nesting box with a camera in and around 10x days ago we had 9x eggs hatched and everything seemed well.
We've kept an eye on the camera and mum and dad have been coming back and forth although a couple of days ago we struggled to count all 9.
This morning however we've put the camera on and the nest is completely empty?
The hole hasn't been made bigger and we're really at a loss to explain what's happened here?
Hi Darrell, sounds as thought the nest has been predated. Other birds will take chicks, depending on where the nest is, cats or other wildlife that can get at the nest will d the same. Very sad, but this is nature and we have to take the good with the bad.
Possible that they did die and the parents removed them. Could have been from illness or if you have had a cold spell and food has not been readily available, this could also have caused the problem. Do you have Magpies around, I think Woodpeckers also, but not 100% will take young chicks. Another possibility could be squirrels, do you have them around. Maybe the parent came back or it could be another looking at the nest, they normally only have one breed a year but it is possible for more.
Edit, could have been that they were taken and it was the mum back looking for them?