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Our rooster has deserted us!

Since last October we have had a roosting bluetit who has settled down each evening in our camera nestbox. We have absolutely loved having him  and watching his little routines.

A couple of nights ago he failed to come home! There have been signs of fighting in the box - lots of scattered feathers but we haven't seen any signs of other birds (although there are lots of bluetits in the garden) could he have been bullied out of the box?

Any ideas/theories gratefully received!

  • Maybe he has gone to find a gilfriend?

    Hope you see him soon.

    It's not always easy to hug a hedgehog.

    But that doesn't mean you shouldn't.

  • Was his name Rocky, and sounded a bit like Mel Gibson .. ;o)

    Ant

    "IT IS SAID THAT LIFE FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES BEFORE YOU DIE. THAT IS TRUE, IT'S CALLED LIVING."
    Death - Terry Pratchett (The Last Continent).

  • billybluetit said:

    Since last October we have had a roosting bluetit who has settled down each evening in our camera nestbox. We have absolutely loved having him  and watching his little routines.

    A couple of nights ago he failed to come home! There have been signs of fighting in the box - lots of scattered feathers but we haven't seen any signs of other birds (although there are lots of bluetits in the garden) could he have been bullied out of the box?

    Any ideas/theories gratefully received!

    Hi bbt

    Blue tits might be bullied away from a roost by another blue tit, or he could have gone in search of a mate and currently be roosting wherever she is roosting.

    I think you might have to keep your fingers crossed and hope that a pair use your nest box. :-)

     

    Best wishes Chris

    Click Here to see my photos

  • Unknown said:

    Was his name Rocky, and sounded a bit like Mel Gibson .. ;o)

    Ant

     

    That reply sounded a bit glib .. sorry.

    Hope he turns up soon.

    Ant

    "IT IS SAID THAT LIFE FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES BEFORE YOU DIE. THAT IS TRUE, IT'S CALLED LIVING."
    Death - Terry Pratchett (The Last Continent).

  • Hi Billy,

    He will have found a mate and it looks like they are nesting elsewhere I'm afraid. I have two camera boxes with a rooster in each. One rooster left 2 weeks ago. The other rooster left 3 nights ago. There is no sign of nesting in either box, just poo and small feathers.  The same thing happened last year. My roosters came back home in the autumn after raising their young somewhere else.

    The scattered feathers will belong to your rooster - they do scratch a lot!!!!!! I doubt there will have been a fight.

    Female bluetits usually sleep on the partially built nest whilst the male roosts somewhere nearby keeping guard.

    Cheers, Linda.

    See my photos on Flickr

  • Anonymous
    0 Anonymous 26/03/2011 15:07 in reply to Sparrow

    Hi Billy

    Just to say I agree with the comments above, especially Sparrow's.

    I thought Sparrow was on holiday so I popped in to say just about the same as her (using her experience of roosting Tits)

    With any luck, he'll be back.

    Cheers

    Pipit

  • Hi bbt

    I to have been observing our box for some months and again 2 nights ago the bird failed to return, there is some nest material in the box , i have this feeling that it wont return, will another pair move in and should i remove the small amount of nesting material