A few minutes later she is back but she doesn't settle and leaves again shortly after.
Or am I getting completely confused and this bird is Joe who is looking for one of his females?
I think this is a different bird ...
... and this one settles down and starts incubating the eggs again - so it must be female!
The second female is back again.
I'm not sure whether the sitting bird is begging for food or shouting "Get out!".
For quite a long time, nothing happens. Both birds stay in the same posture, barely moving a feather.
Then, after a minute and a half, the visitor tries to sit on the nest - and therefore also on the other female.
To me it is amazing that this doesn't provoke a more violent reaction. I wonder whether there is some in-built inhibition about fighting with eggs in the nest cup which might easily get broken?
Although the two birds are clearly squabbling, it is very mild when compared to the violent fights we have had earlier in the year. Even those involving females appear pretty violent affairs.
Nevertheless it is enough to force the original sitter out ...
... leaving the visitor in charge.
Fifteen minutes later she is back again.
Now the roles are reversed when compared to the position 5 images above ...
... but this time it is the most recent visitor whose nerve breaks first and who therefore leaves.
It is a quarter of an hour later before the incubating bird takes a break - and shows us that there are at least 11 eggs - maybe 12.