This is Della's last recorded visit to the nest box. She arrives at 11.46 and goes straight inside.
Bad news I'm afraid. It appears that some disaster has befallen Della. She has not been seen since Saturday at about half past eleven in the morning.
Della in Box2.
Sam arrives a few seconds later.
Della hears Sam outside and begs for food.
After a few seconds havering, he followed her inside ...
... and duly delivers!
As usual, after feeding her, Sam immediately turns to go.
Sam on his way.
Della allows herself the luxury of one very careful wriggle - after all, there are probably 2 eggs there!
Then she too flies off.
That is the last time we have seen Della!
So what has become of her? The most likely explanation is that she has been predated by, for example, a sparrowhawk which we have often seen hunting in the area. Della was not showing any signs of becoming bored with nesting - and she was continuing to be supported by her partner, Sam. It must be most unlikely that she has just gone off the idea of bringing up a brood of chicks.
This is the first time that a female that has started laying, has apparently disappeared into thin air. Let's hope we are luckier with Box1 and Box3!
At 7:48 the next morning, what looks like a male bluetit arrives outside Box2.
Our assumption is that this is Sam, and he is wondering what has happened to Della too.
After a short while, he takes a look inside the box ...
... but seeing nothing, he flies off.
At the end of the day, the nest box is still empty. Della is no longer roosting there.
However, to counter the gloom, Donna has decided to start roosting in Box1 tonight!
Let's hope the sparrowhawk doesn't get her too!