Bluetit Diary    Mar 2007 (15)

 

 

Saturday 24th March, 2007

This is one of the un-named bluetits having another look into Greta's nest box.  This is the first time we have seen this for some days - ever since Gustaf had a go at one of these bluetits a few days ago in fact.

I had always assumed the bluetit in this situation would be the male.  However, if you look carefully at this bird and then compare it with the one two pictures below, I thing you will agree that there is a significant difference.

This one looks like the female to me!

Even though Greta's box is empty, she still doesn't pursue the matter further and so she flies away.

Only 20 seconds later another bluetit arrives for a look. 

This bird's head feathers look quite different - they are much less smooth - more tousled and the head feathers are slightly raised.  I believe this is the male!

It still doesn't go inside the box though!

Over in Box2 Fay and Morgan are having one of their swapovers.

Fay's nest seems to have been in this state for ages!  Still, no wonder when she spends so much of her time taking nest material in and out of the nest box.

Away goes Morgan!