Shortly before half past eleven, a bluetit approaches an empty Box3.
As I am sure you will have appreciated, I am rather confused about which bluetit is which. Today's sequence doesn't make things any clearer!
It doesn't hesitate, but goes straight into the box.
However, when inside it crouches down as males have a habit of doing when they are expecting their mate to follow them into the box.
OK, so this bird is male, but which is it? It doesn't look like Will. Could it be Harry? Or is there a third male bluetit hanging around Box3?
Harry (and I will assume it is he) moves to the corner of the box, well out of the way. He is clearly expecting a visitor.
My theory is that Harry now has a partner (not Zoe!) that he is trying to entice into the nest box. If that is true, then the last battle of Box3 has not yet been fought!
And here she is on the entrance hole.
In she goes! Or does she?
Not this time! She has a look over her shoulder to make sure there's no danger lurking ...
She kept this will she, won't she, behaviour up for over 15 seconds before finally taking the plunge and going into the box.
She flew onto the shelf as that was well away from Harry.
This is the first time that a pair of birds has been together in Box3 - excluding the fighting of course!
Now I would normally have expected Harry to go at this point leaving his mate to have a look around. Perhaps it was because she was on the shelf rather than on the floor of the box, but Harry stayed huddled down in the corner.
Perhaps after all, these two birds are not a couple. Certainly the reaction of the bluetit on the left doesn't seem consistent with that!
Suddenly, the newcomer flew to the hole and left the nest. It had been inside for just under 10 seconds.
Poor old Harry - if it is Harry. I suppose we will work out what is happening eventually!
Is this the same bluetit on the roof? Or is it another one?
I must say, I admire its style. It seems as though it can walk on air!
Harry left the box directly after - assuming it was Harry of course.
Perhaps there is another pair of bluetits interested in Box3. That would create an interesting situation!