Bluetit Diary    Apr 2007 (17)

At least now that Greta is incubating, we see more of Gustaf!  Here he has arrived at the nest box with food.

He doesn't seem keen to go inside, and here we think he is trying to persuade Greta to come to the hole to collect her food.

After a bit, he gives up and decides to go in ...

... and feed Greta!

Transaction completed, ...

... Gustaf departs.

This is how Greta spends much of her day at the moment.  Female birds must get some reward for incubating otherwise they wouldn't do it - but it always seems a thankless task to me!

This is Angus in BBB.  You can tell it is Angus from the wide white band around his head and the general state of his head feathers.  I don't think that white feather is in his beak - it is on the floor of the nest box beneath it.

You don't often see the male bird inside a nest box by himself.  Perhaps he already had designs on Abby. 

This is the start of a fascinating mating sequence.  It is far too long and complicated for me to show here but I hope to come back to it later.

It finally finishes with Abby leaving the nest box having had quite enough thank you.  She is followed shortly after by Angus.  Domestic violence isn't in it!

Back to Greta's eggs.  Here they are in all their splendour.  According to the pictures in the Field Guide, they are at the heavily speckled end of the normal range of possibilities.

Another shot of Gustaf feeding Greta.  This time he has managed to persuade Greta to meet him half way!

Again, the transaction is completed!