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Many of you will remember my camera nest box and Bluey, the bluetit rooster. He has been roosting every night without fail. He found a Mrs. Bluetit, and she paid many visits during the day time to clean out the box and remove all her husband's poo. That is dedication, methinks. She clearly hasn't heard of Girl Power. Then, about 2 weeks ago, she gave it up as a bad job, sensible girl. Bluey continues to roost every night, and the box is now really filthy. I still had some hope of Mrs. Bluetit returning to sort things out, but Alas and Alack, all hope has gone. Just look what she was doing this morning - plucking MY moss from MY basket and taking it away to another garden. She has a beak full of the stuff. The ungrateful little bird, after all I have done for her husband, providing him with bed and board all winter.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Hi Sparrow
Got a mug shot of my rooster at last, well, best one so far, and certainly looks like a sparrow to me. dropped some small twigs in yesterday and there was a right ols rumpus in there last night. He took about 5 mins at the entrance hole looking out and about.
Ken
Those that learn, shall teach and those that teach, shall learn
Hi Stokkers,
He looks like a blue tit to me I think. What does everyone else think?
If I were you I wouldn't interfere by putting stuff inside the box. The birds know they haven't put anything in there so will think it is another bird and may put them off.
I put my box up last November and added a load of shredded paper and twigs provided with the nest box. Over the course of the winter and right up to after the snow had gone, the blue tit rooster carefully removed every single shred of paper. He/she took it out and dumped it in the garden. We installed the camera in February at which point we looked inside the box. It was totally empty of all shredded paper, with just 3 or 4 small twigs left.
Your box is very clean. Look at mine:
This is all poo and feathers left by the rooster, who is currently fast asleep in all this mess. It is highly unlikely any respectable lady blue tit will make a nest in there, but your box is pristine, so yoyu have every chance. Good luck.
Yes, Blue Tit.
My sparrow nest box has had a rooster all winter and was about quarter of an inch deep in poo!!
I have been away for 10 days and in that time ALL the poo has been cleaned out and there is a fair amount of nesting material there now so don't despair of the box being used.
Ooooooooooooooooo ... you've given me some hope!! Thank you Dangerous. Was your box as bad as mine?
Absolutely awful. Mum has been house sitting and she says a female has been cleaning out with a male bringing in bedding.
There is a blue tit box which has been similarly spring cleaned though there is no nesting material in it yet.
I remember the sparrows were about two weeks ahead in nest building last year.
Best of luck Sparrow. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
I have been in Morocco for 10 days and the swifts in Marrakech filled the air with their wheeling and screeching. Wonderful!!!
When I see them here in Cumbria I know that summer is here and I feel so sad when in August they vanish in the space of two or three days.
This is the sparrows nest so far
For the first time the nest was unoccupied last night.
The male was first in tidying up and doing a few nest wiggles. Then he sat outside calling his mate who finally arrived some 15 minutes later and they both went in and cheeped and chirped lovingly at each other before he flew off and left her.
One Tit box has had the first nesting material brought in this morning, then taken out, then brought back in.
OK So it's a blue tit. Just what I first thought, but upon watching him flutter around, most of the feathers on show looked brown in colour.
He seems to be spending more time looking out of the entrance, so maybe he's calling out for a mate, but no nest material as yet
Dangerous - you have given me hope. Some good shots there of the sparrows.
Oh Dangerous, what superb pictures. You are going to be very busy this spring with all these potential babies. I hope they all nest successfully. Looking forward to hearing all about them.
Lovely pictures of your nests Dangerous. I really hope you see dozens of little chicks.
Just a quick update.
Sparrows have a fine nest and I expect eggs very soon.
Our blue tit has brought in moss and sheep's wool then removed it every day for a week.
At the moment she is in there wiggling amongst some moss.