A bluetit lands on the entrance hole.
We've had a bit action in Box3 today. Perhaps all is not lost for this box yet!
After a while, it goes into the box.
A side view of the same shot.
This camera has not yet had a chance to show how good it is. Let's hope that this year we get a successful brood raised here.
Inside the box.
This looks as though the bird is crouching down as though it was expecting its partner to follow it into the box. No such luck yet though.
At this stage, nothing was visible on the outside camera.
What's it doing now? I think it must have heard something outside and it's looking through the largish crack where the box's construction leaves something to be desired. (You can't get the wood! It has warped since I made the box a few years ago.)
It's now looking around from the nest box hole.
Back to the floor of the box again.
It now jumps up onto the shelf beneath the camera. It's a bit too close to the camera for a perfect focus, but it's better then nothing.
At last, the bird outside comes to the box. Soon after, it comes to the entrance.
Here you can just see the tip of the beak of the bird on the hole, and the reaction of the bird inside.
Whether it is a "Feed Me" gesture, or a "Keep Out" gesture is for the birds themselves to determine.
The outside bird is still there.
This bird still has its beak gaping.
I think it must have been a "Keep Out" gesture. Or perhaps, as it didn't have any food, it's gone to get some!
Aha! So the inside bird is a female! The "Please get some food" theory is more likely then.
Yes - there is no doubt - this bird is female!
If she's doing nesting wriggles too, then perhaps ...?
( ... we might get a nest!)
The bird outside is back! Has he got any food though?
Clearly not as he doesn't go into the box. He flies off again very quickly.
It looks as though her inside has more important things to do than to eat anyway!
He's back again!
Suddenly he looks back over his shoulder. Is he disturbed?
(Do birds have shoulders asks Elizabeth? I don't see why not!)
He's off yet again.
Fickle things these males!
A few moments later, the female leaves too.
Byee!