This is the start of a long sequence showing Ann and Andy mating in Box1. Mating inside their box is unusual. We have only managed to capture a couple of such sequences before.
Here you can just see the two of them on the roof of the nest box.
Ann has left the roof and is about to go into the nest box.
In she goes.
Inside the box, she seems to be waiting for Andy to follow her.
Here he comes.
Into the box he goes.
He arrives in what looks like a high state of agition.
Ann immediately crouches down with her back to Andy, looking straight ahead.
Andy mounts Ann who keeps quite still.
Then there is a short burst of furious activity by Andy, during which Ann remains crouched and stationary.
It only lasts a short while.
Only two seconds have passed since Andy first mounted Ann . . .
. . . and it's already coming to an end.
Andy is now calming down, while Ann still keeps completely still beneath him.
The couple remain in that position for just a few more seconds. You can see Andy's left claw is still on Ann's back.
The two birds still haven't moved.
Finally, Andy appears to nuzzle Ann's neck.
They then slowly begin to seperate.
Ann turns and seems to be begging for Andy to feed her.
They stay face to face for a short while . . .
. . . and then Andy appears to give Ann something. A morsel of food perhaps that he has been keeping for her until now?
Ann eagerly grabs at whatever it is that Andy has for her.
Both birds stay still for a short while - just looking at each other.
Then Andy turns towards the nest box hole . . .
. . . and flies out of the nest box.
Off he goes!
Ann is left by herself in the nest box again.
It's not long before she, too, thinks about leaving.
She jumps up to the exit hole . . .
. . . and after a brief pause, flies off.
A video of the full sequence can be found on YouTube here.