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Fledged Blue Tits - I'm suffering from empty nest syndrome! - and asking for opinions

Budgie Sue
26/05/2021 09:41

Hi all,

Just joined the forum being newbies to nesting birds. First of all, the posts on here have given such invaluable help and advice so thank you to all who post and advise!

So we have had blue tits nesting in a box on our tree and had a camera in the box (box to left of photo attached). This has been both heart warming and heart rendering all at the same time. As it's been lovely to see the blue tit lay her eggs (about 9 in total), and see the chicks develop into mini blue tits. We had some casualties along the way, but ended up with 3 chicks. They were little characters and were starting to flap their wings so knew they were ready to flee the nest soon. 

So on Monday, my partner checked the camera at 6.30 a.m. and they were in there, but by 7.30 they were gone. As soon as we noticed, we went into the garden to see if we could see them on the ground or in the vicinity, but there was nothing. But noticed the adult was in the tree making their usual alarm sound, similar to what the male did of an evening when the female was nesting. My partner also saw that one of the adults went into the box possibly with food but of course no birds were in there. So they were either taken by surprise or just checking they had all gone.

So we are not sure what happened to them. As from reading up, I get the impression that when they leave, they bob about on the ground for a bit and the parent is nearby so they couldn't fly off so soon. But they were nowhere to be seen. After a short while, the parent flew off. This caused me concern as I have read that the family would stay local and not disappear. Later that morning, I did spot the blue tit on the feeding station getting some food and then flying into some bushes at the back of next door's garden (just to the right of the photo just out of view). This was done only a few times that morning. And since then the blue tit has not been back and it's now 48 hours later since they fledged, and we have not seen or heard one single blue tit. 

I have a bad feeling that they didn't make it, as I would have at least expected to see something of them or the adult getting food. Yesterday morning I noticed magpies in the tree as well, so I have a gut feeling they swooped on them that morning as heard they are good at keeping an eye on blue tit movement, but could they have really taken all 3 at once? I would like to think that's not possible. But I cannot think of any other explanation why they are no longer about. Would appreciate anyone's else's feedback on what they think. You can see a pic of the garden (the nest box on the left is where they were residing).

We are just gutted that we didn't see them fledge as at least we could have somehow kept an eye on them and shooed away any predators so the parents could tend to them. For me, it's the not knowing what happened, hence why would welcome anyone else's opinion on what they think could have happened or if they think they could have flown off in such a short space of time?

It's been such a shame for it to end this way, as would have liked to see a happy ending to this story rather than never knowing. I know this is nature, and we were fortunate to see the nesting experience, but sadly our emotions do get in the way, and I feel like we have lost our pets as got quite attached to seeing them, hence empty nest syndrome. So having a camera has been a bittersweet experience for us.

Sorry for such a long post, but got carried away. If anybody has any views on what could have happened I would be grateful. Who knows maybe they did make it, but the fact that we checked so soon after finding out they had gone and they are not about doesn't give me much hope. So anyone's honest opinion to give me a bit of closure on this would be good.

Thanks for your time and thrilled that we are able to have opportunities like this to be able to share our stories. Keep up the good work everyone.

Best Wishes 

Sue

  • 26/05/2021 16:00
    We've had families of blue and great tit nest boxes for the last few years. We've had some fledge and not seen any of them for a couple of weeks, then seen some of them fly back to the feeders. It might be that the babies have been shown food in the trees and haven't been enticed back to your garden - yet.

    Don't be too despondent - you've given the little fellows a chance in life. There's a reasonable chance that they're around the trees. But yes, nature can be cruel - but keep your hopes of seeing some of them again alive.
  • 26/05/2021 18:38
    Hi both,

    Thank you for your coming back to me. Yes I am hopeful that at least one made it away. It's the not knowing that's the worst bit. It's heartening though to know that having 3 fledglings has been a success for the adults in light of the recent weather and conditions. They worked so hard and tirelessly to look after and feed these chicks, so it would have been such a shame for them if they fell at the last hurdle. Though I always knew that this would be their toughest journey as soon as they left the nest. My heart just went out to that blue tit calling in the tree after they had gone or flown away, as although they don't have our emotions, I'm sure it's just as heartbreaking for them to lose them (that's if they did of course). I guess I have had my doubts as wouldn't think they would be able to fly away so soon after coming out of the box hence why I would expect them to have still been about.

    If they come back, although I'll never know, I'll tell myself that is our little birdies that we saw grow up in front of our eyes.

    Not so sure we'll be putting a camera in next year as although we enjoyed seeing new life in the form of these little creatures, it has been a real emotional rollercoaster.

    Thanks again for your replies.
  • 26/05/2021 20:29

    Hi Sue, welcome from up in Caithness at the very top of Scotland. It is the not knowing that is horrid, it could be possible that the 3 fledged and are around, or some of the 3. Magpies and other bigger birds will take young from nests, did this happen? If you have been seeing others in the trees, hopefully it is the fledged babies. Lovely to have a camera and to follow all the action but when something happens, if you see it or not, it makes it harder. We do get attached to our feathered friends, it is such a lovely hobby and only human nature to feel that way. Glad you found this new hobby and have been helped when reading the posts. Hope you enjoy being here.

    You have a lovely looking garden by the way, neat and tidy.

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • 26/05/2021 21:30
    Thank you Catlady, I can't take the credit for the garden, as my partner Geoff does all the hard work. I wanted to show the photo of the garden to show that it wouldn't have been so easy for the fledglings to hide, as my first thoughts would be that they would be knocking about on the ground and be seen. I would have expected them to be there the first hour or so but we went out there as soon as we saw the nestbox empty but alas they weren't. Unless they took flight straight away which is what I was hoping, though the adult's frantic call might have told me otherwise, unless of course, the adult was just shouting out a warning that they were safe, Here's hoping.
    The tree to which the box is attached is a large false acacia, lovely tree but the magpies have been hanging about in it every morning, hence my fears for the youngsters.

    I haven't seen any blue tits though in nearby bushes, only an adult come out of there for the first few hours but even they aren't about now. Missing seeing them. Though we have the comical starling babies to keep us entertained, and our little chirpy chirpy sparrows amuse us too with their constant bickering and sparring. So it's still a lively garden.

    Thank you for the lovely welcome.
  • 27/05/2021 01:11
    Fellow newbie here, 100% relate to your story Sue and have also learnt a lot from the many who post on here, so both hello and thanks to all. My box with cam has its first Blue Tit nestlings, and 8 out of 9 eggs hatched 22nd May, so a couple of weeks behind you, but so far but all 8 are doing good and it is fascinating to watch. I've read about the poor conditions for song birds natural food prospects this year so have helped them along with live mealworms in a feeder only small birds can access.

    But... there's a Magpie nest at the top of a tree perhaps 30m away, and not in direct line of sight of the nest box. I do know they have clocked, but cannot get to the worms and they don't seem to be moving towards the nest box. However, I fear that if and when any of the 8 fledge, eventually they will meet the Magpie, and to be honest was my initial guess with yours, and the worry for ours, particularly the way they sit up high and watch. However, I'm very encouraged by the fact this thread alone suggests they have a chance, plus the Great Tits nesting and feeding very close to the Magpies are still also taking more than enough worms just for themselves.

    Whatever happens, and we'll never truly know where they go, we've given them a good start and taken pleasure from their development.
  • 28/05/2021 09:40
    Hi TLBox,

    Thank you for your post. I'll keep everything crossed for you that your little birdies get to fledgling stage.
    The best advice I can give is that when they get to the stage in the box where they are starting to flap their wings and move about a lot, then it won't be long before they are ready to leave, so keep an eye on it as much as possible, so that you won't miss the opportunity and see them leave, and also know what happens, as that's been the worst bit for me is the not knowing and of course now we never will.

    Plus if there are magpies knocking about, then another reason to keep a close watch. I certainly know that if I knew then what I know now, then we would have kept a much closer eye on the box, and would have been out there trying to keep any predators at bay to give them a better chance. I know you can't keep watch 24/7 but it seems from reading these posts that it's the mornings that they leave. I just wish I'd read a bit more so could be prepared, so take as much from these posts and the advice these lovely people on here are giving, as you will learn a lot. It's certainly been a learning curve for me.

    My partner posted the video on facebook of the chicks before they left the nest, so if I can find out how to share it here, then I'll add the video so you can see them. Technology isn't my strong point.

    Please keep me posted on how your little birdies develop.
  • 04/06/2023 18:00
    Hi Sue

    Thankyou so much for your long, detailed and beautiful heartfelt post. I found your story here because I googled to see why I felt so sad about my Blue Tits family leaving. I honestly thought I was being too sensitive, my heart has felt heavy for a few days now! I saw the cycle from parent birds prospecting our box and every precious moment, until they became very lively, even peeping out of the box. For some reason, I thought they'd stay a little while longer because they still seemed slightly reluctant to leave. So.....I popped to the shops for one hour.....and yep! I came home to an empty nest!! I cried so much and was really disappointed to have missed their first flight. I just keep wishing I'd stayed home!! Later that day, I saw them (at least I'm convinced it was them, two parents and babies) in the trees opposite my house. That was quite comforting but I haven't seen them again since. I don't have bird feeders in my garden because a cheeky rat came!! So maybe that's why they've disappeared across to the woodlands which I can see from my bedroom window. I'm just very thankful to you for your honest post, I feel so lost without them and my garden is quiet. I fell completely in love with them!! I hope they return next year, I know so much more about them now and will be more prepared. What an emotional time it's been!! Doesn't help that my children moved out three years ago and I'm still experiencing my own empty nest feelings!!

    As you said though, it's been an enormous privilege to witness this beautiful adventure over the last few weeks, I feel completely blessed. Miss them that's all!

    Bless all our baby birds and their hard working, devoted parents. Bless all nature and our beautiful planet. Take care and thankyou for helping me to feel a little less lonely with my thoughts. Kirsty xx
  • 04/06/2023 18:11
    Hi Sue
    It’s heartbreaking sometimes we had a little one in our garden most of Friday afternoon continually calling and the parents were attending to him inbetween I think feeding it’s siblings - 6/7 came out of our box that morning but he was the last and though he looked strong and well-feathered clearly couldn’t get as far, he died in the night it was so cold and I suspect the parents wouldn’t stay with him because of roosting young elsewhere - it’s not normal for any bird to sleep that way I guess we heard them cal for him at 5am and we got up later and found the poor little
    mite . We didn’t intervene husband put out a box of straw hoping he may go inside but it’s not in their instinct at such a young age and we kept away because the adults were coming down well into the evening
    But anyway what I’m going to say is if you remember that noise the babies make then you will hear it in your vicinity cos they’re still calling and still being fed - at our old house we used to see the young flying around with their parents after a few weeks and it’s a lovely feeling so hold out for that! In the meantime they will prob be back next Spring Relaxed️
  • 05/06/2023 09:35
    Hi Kirsty and Jackie

    Thank you for your messages. Good to know my posts are still picked up and helpful to people who found themselves in the same situation as me. That was a couple of years ago that I posted and this is now our 3rd year with the camera in the box and every year blue tits have nested in there.

    However, apart from that first year, when we saw the babies born and 'hopefully' fledge, and yes Kirsty, I felt lost those first few weeks as you do get so attached to seeing them and then all of a sudden they're gone, but these last two years we have not had any success stories.

    Last year, babies were born, and the mummy blue tit was back and forth feeding them, and came out for a rest, and as she was sitting on the fence, I was watching her from the window, then all of a sudden there was an altercation between her and another bird, and I realised it was a sparrowhawk and the bird flew off with our dear mummy blue tit.

    That was heartbreaking because as a result, it was left to the daddy blue tit, but it was too much for him, and he deserted the nest, and the babies eventually died. We think they were only a few days to a week old. Even now, when I think about it and look at that bit of fence, it brings it all back, and keep thinking of all the birds in the garden it had to be her, but again that's nature at it's cruelest but guess you have to think of the food chain even though is still really sad.

    So this year, we thought 3rd time lucky, and mummy blue tit laid a batch of 9 eggs about 2 months ago, and this time none of them has hatched. We think it was the cold weather, as she seemed to be doing all the right things with sitting on them. And what's really sad this time is that she is still sitting on those eggs 2 months later waiting for them to hatch. How sad is that, that she is still hopeful her eggs will hatch but we know this will not happen now. Apparently this is a common occurrence, re eggs not hatching, but is just heart breaking that she is still in there sitting on them. Guess that is her mothering instinct. Wish daddy blue tit will come back and tell her it's time to let go.

    Sounds to me from your posts that your fledglings (except sadly your little one Jackie), have all made it so I'm pleased you have been able to witness that and have success stories.

    We have been able to witness baby sparrows and the noisy baby starlings come down to feed, so has been lovely to see them at least.

    Wishing you all a lovely day.

    Sue
    xxxx
  • 12/06/2023 14:20
    Ohhhhh Sue

    I'm so sorry to hear about the last two years' distressing experiences regarding your blue tits families, absolutely heartbreaking for you, both years. I would be distraught if I'm honest, especially with the sparrowhawk and mummy blue tit. And yes, it's nature and the food chain, but still it hurts us tremendously. I remember a sparrowhawk getting a woodpigeon in my garden and that was difficult enough, but to know babies have lost a mummy and then their daddy couldn't cope. Oh my goodness, it's all too much! And poor mummy sitting on her eggs just waiting, poor little one Cry

    I cleaned my nesting box out yesterday (I couldn't do it last week as I was so sad!) and luckily there were no signs that any eggs hadn't hatched or chicks that hadn't made it. Just a beautiful and amazingly made comfy empty nest. I still miss my sweet blue tits family and strangely I still hear babies cheeping, whether they're from my garden brood or elsewhere in the neighbourhood, but it warms my heart. Especially when I hear the parents calling them! They're still learning how to be independent bless them. And whatever I'm doing in the garden, their distinctive voices really get my attention! I heard them for so long in the box, I'd recognise their cries anywhere!! I smile so much when I hear them, it's comforting.

    I guess I just wanted to say thankyou again for your original post, I honestly did think I was being silly with how I felt but I figured that I couldn't possibly be alone with my emotions of the empty nest, and your post confirmed that. I'm just sorry you've had the sadnesses in other ways too. I'm sorry for the extremely long reply but my heart rambles on when it comes to nature! I still miss my sweet feathered family but I'm slowly getting used to them not being here, and I'm super happy that I shared a tiny part of their adventure.

    I work at preschool and last Thursday the children and I were really lucky and blessed to just happen to be playing in the garden when our Great Tits babies chose to leave their nesting box. Seven of them! We'd been observing the box closely all week and were very excited to witness their first flights. The children and I were encouraging them out "come on babies, you can do it!" and each baby emerged to a little cheer! Best day ever! I missed my babies emerging because they came out when I was at the shop but this was perfect, sharing a wonderful moment with my amazing preschool little hearts.

    Wishing you well beautiful soul, I hope next year is a successful happy ever after, I really do. Thankyou with all my heart for being a wonderful and caring person. You've given me much hope that I have kindred spirits in the world, others like me! You're the best xx