Bluetit Diary    Mar 2006 (7)

 

 

Monday 13th March, 2006

Something is going on in and around Box2!  I think perhaps I was premature to name one of the birds as there seems to be a fight going on about the ownership of the nesting site.

It started off normally enough with a bluetit coming to the nest box hole.

Instead of going straight in, this bluetit spent ages hesitating and looked very doubtful

Finally, it went in.  I think it must be the male.  In the previous picture you can see that its head feathers are slightly raised and its behaviour once in the box is more typical of a male bird.

Soon, another bluetit approached the box.  This one was even more tentative in its approach.  Here you can see it peering cautiously into the nest box without actually going onto the hole.

Whether this is a female or another male is not clear to me.

Directly the bird inside heard the newcomer, it froze, keeping low and as out of the way as possible.  This again is typical male bird behaviour.

Eventually, the newcomer decides to go in.

The inside bird is still lying low.

In it goes!

Immediately the bird first inside departs.  This is typical if the two birds are male and female and have formed a partnership.  The male has now left leaving the female in the nest box.

So what's new there? 

The thing that is unusual is the hesitancy shown by both birds.  They both spent ages appearing to be plucking up courage to go into the box as though it was new to them or in the case of the second bird, the other bird was inhibiting them.

When the original bird had left, the newcomer spent the time just looking around.

Is this a new pair trying to take over the box?

Twenty seconds later, the bird now outside is back.  Or perhaps it is a different bird - I really cannot tell.  At this stage of the season, all bluetits look very much alike!

Now this isn't very welcoming!  The bird inside clearly doesn't want the other to come in.  Rather than lying down in a corner and keeping out of the way, this bird is standing its ground and you can see from its beak that it is angry!

Whatever is going on, it is clear that the two birds in action here are not a couple!

As a result, the bluetit outside slinks off looking chastened.

"That's got rid of him!" this bird seems to be saying.

A few seconds later though and the bird outside is back ...

... but its courage failed it and it flew off again.

Fifteen second later and it's back again!

The welcome - or lack of it - hasn't changed ...

  ... but this time the outside bird enters anyway!

KERPOW!

Who's winning here then?

I haven't a clue who has won - but the victor wants to see the other well and truly off!

On your way, matey!

What I don't know is whether the winner was the bird inside or the one that entered later!  And even if I knew that, how do I tell whether either of is Kate or her partner?