This is Bertie going into Box2. You'll have to take my word that it's Bertie at this stage!
Today has been a beautiful day, warm and sunny. This seems to have given Bella and Bertie ideas!
Here he is inside the box a couple of seconds later.
Immediately Bella comes to the entrance hole. Is she going inside too?
No, not yet. Perhaps Bella is playing hard to get!
"Where's she got to?"
"She's gone!"
So Bertie goes in search of her.
She clearly hadn't gone far, as ten seconds later Bertie is back at the box's entrance again.
He seems to take an age hesitating about going inside. He keeps looking over his shoulder, presumably to see if Bella is still there.
Finally, after over a minute since he came to the box, he goes inside.
Bertie inside the box. Will Bella follow this time?
That's what Bertie wants to know too!
This time he is very patient. You can almost see the worry on his face as he waits for her!
Ah! Here comes Bella.
Now with Bella, these things can't be rushed. First she lands on the roof and has a little think.
Then she jumps down to the entrance hole.
Bertie thinks she is coming in this time, so he crouches down to keep out of the way.
This time he is right! In comes Bella ...
... and of course, in time honoured fashion, as soon as Bella is inside the box, Bertie departs!
Bella is by herself in the box again!
She doesn't stay - within just one second she's off!
Well, what is this ritual all about? All our bluetits (and great tits) seem to do it so it must be useful to the survival of the species in some way. It would be nice to know in what way!