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For the last two springs now i have had a blue tit nest box with camera. Each year the eggs hatched and then after a few days the chicks started to die one by one over the course of a week. This is very distressing on video!! Is there anything I can do to prevent this for this year please? Do you know what causes it? Is it the same pair do you think? Thanks
Hi Pro,
Sorry to hear about your bad experience regarding bluetit chicks.
There could be a number of reasons for this. Lack of appropriate food - inexperienced parents - a cold snap are all possibilities. If you have bluetits nesting again this year and have concerns about the development of the young, perhaps you could leave a supply of live meal worms in the vicinity of your nest box.
Regards,
Claire
"The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" - Wlliam Blake
Thanks for your reply Claire
I did try leaving meal worms this last year. But the sparrows ate them all! Were they likely to be the same pair?
Hi Pro, and welcome to the forum,
What a distressing thing to happen in your camera box - or anywhere come to that. I hope it doesn't happen again.
Can I ask if you cleaned the box out with some mild disinfectant? If not, this may help get rid of any nasties lurking in there. Other than that, a plentiful supply of food and no disturbance is all I can suggest. Perhaps you could try mealworms in a container the sparrows can't find, not that I know of any!!
EDIT: just had a thought - does the box face away from hot sun or cold winds? That could be a factor.
Cheers, Linda.
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Unknown said:Were they likely to be the same pair?
Blue Tits have fairly short life spans and so while it is not likely that your pair is the same as on previous years, it is just possible that one parent is the same.
Both
I did clean it out and disinfected.
The box is in a laurel hedge shaded form the sun, the door faces North West. It is a fairly sheltered garden.
Thanks
Hi Pro
It's not unusual to have fatalities with blue tits. I've had large fatilities in my boxes. It could have something to do with climate change and caterpillers hatching.
See what others think.
Ray
a good laugh is better than a tonic