Bluetit Diary    Mar 2011 (8)

 

 

Monday 14th March, 2011

Today we have had yet another fight, this time in Box2.  I think we have had more fights this year than in our previous 10 years of this diary.  What could be the reason for that?  My theory is that we have more bluetits in the garden than ever before and this is putting pressure on the available nesting space.  Elizabeth's feeding programme has been almost too successful!

This bluetit arrived in the vicinity of the box and hesitantly worked its way around to the entrance hole.  It stayed there for quite a while ...

... before eventually going into the box.

I deduce from this behaviour that it is neither of the current owners of the box, which we have decided to call Joy and Dave.

Judging from its head feathers, this bird is a male.

No sooner has he gone into the box, than another bird arrives.  This could be the first bird's partner or one of Joy or Dave.

The arrival immediately causes the bird in the box to go on the defensive, ...

... but which seems not to have the slightest effect on the latest arrival which charges straight into the box.

The new arrival looks as though it is in attack mode right away.

The original bird refuses to react further.  (The newcomer looks female so must be Joy.)

Suddenly there is a brief skirmish ...

... which ends with Joy on the hole.

She must be considering what to do about this new male bird.  He in his turn is shouting at her to judge by his open beak.

She decides she cannot leave him in charge of the box and returns to the floor.

The male just stares intently at her.

the male on the left, Joy on the right.  Neither seems keen on a fight.

And then war breaks out again!

The male is on the left and Joy is on the right.

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