It's 9.45am and we start this story with a bird in Box3.
Well, Box3 may not be the best box for nest building, but its certainly the best this year for fights!
Quite a handsome bird I think.
Another bird approaches the box outside, has a look in, and ...
... flies off for reinforcements!
The reinforcements arrive and investigate. This bird is bigger and badder than the first!
The fight starts at the entrance hole.
Slowly, the bird on the outside manages to force his way inside the box.
In he goes!
They go at it hammer and tongs. I think the second bird to enter the box is the one on the bottom right of this picture. He looks like a male to me, whereas the other bird looks like a female. However, they are fighting, not mating!
Battling it out side by side on the floor of the nest box!
I think this is the female partner of the male coming to see what is going on.
Suddenly the male decides it's all too much hassle, leaving the original female in the box.
He brushes past the bird on the outside and almost knocks her of her perch ...
... leaving the original bluetit to collect herself and metaphorically to lick her wounds.
These fights are all very well, but I wish one of these pairs would get on and build a nest here!