Hi guys

I tried this on uk-birdwatching, but that group is getting about
one post a month so here goes...


We have a bird box currently inhabited by bluetits.
The bit we are struggling with is trying to work out the state of play.

Watching the movement it looks like there are two birds that are
flying in and out of the box but they are not collecting nest
material. It seems they are picking up grubs or going to the
feeder then returning to the box. *I always expect one to stay on
the nest as I haven't heard any little ones yet.

With this behaviour, are these already hatched little ones flying
around?

One other question on birds in general, how long do the common
garden birds live *for?


Thanks

Phil
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On 13/05/2017 10:37, TheChief wrote:
Hi guys

I tried this on uk-birdwatching, but that group is getting about
one post a month so here goes...


We have a bird box currently inhabited by bluetits.
The bit we are struggling with is trying to work out the state of play.

Watching the movement it looks like there are two birds that are
flying in and out of the box but they are not collecting nest
material. It seems they are picking up grubs or going to the
feeder then returning to the box. I always expect one to stay on
the nest as I haven't heard any little ones yet.

With this behaviour, are these already hatched little ones flying
around?

They are trying to feed their young in the box, its a full time job for
them.


One other question on birds in general, how long do the common
garden birds live for?

The bigger the bird the longer they tend to live for.
The small ones probably two to five years depending on how many cats
there are.

On 13/05/17 10:37, TheChief wrote:
Hi guys

I tried this on uk-birdwatching, but that group is getting about
one post a month so here goes...


We have a bird box currently inhabited by bluetits.
The bit we are struggling with is trying to work out the state of play.

Watching the movement it looks like there are two birds that are
flying in and out of the box but they are not collecting nest
material. It seems they are picking up grubs or going to the
feeder then returning to the box. I always expect one to stay on
the nest as I haven't heard any little ones yet.

With this behaviour, are these already hatched little ones flying
around?

I've got a Raspberry Pi based camera in my nestbox and the first chick
appeared this morning (I'm in the north midlands, about 700ft up).

The male blue tit took up residence back in January if not before. He
attracted a mate about four weeks ago who destroyed my camera cable in a
fit of psychotic rage. I replaced it and built in a false ceiling to
protect the camera - the wide angle adapter seems to have been thrown
out so I have a restricted view in the box now.

Starting three weeks ago she laid seven eggs over seven days and, after
the last one was laid, started incubating them. This should mean they
all hatch together. During the two week incubation the male fed her from
time to time.

Now we have a chick in the box the male is passing caterpillars to the
female who then feeds the chick. Normal behaviour is that this continues
as the other six chicks hatch and fledge over the next three weeks or
so. After the last chick has hatched the hen should also forage for
caterpillars - each chick eventually needs 100 a day!

I haven't got a microphone in the box but I haven't heard any chicks
from outside the box.

One other question on birds in general, how long do the common
garden birds live for?


Thanks

Phil



--
Change nospam to techie

In message , TheChief
writes
Hi guys

I tried this on uk-birdwatching, but that group is getting about
one post a month so here goes...


We have a bird box currently inhabited by bluetits.
The bit we are struggling with is trying to work out the state of play.

Watching the movement it looks like there are two birds that are
flying in and out of the box but they are not collecting nest
material. It seems they are picking up grubs or going to the
feeder then returning to the box. *I always expect one to stay on
the nest as I haven't heard any little ones yet.

They don't make much noise after hatching.

Last year, I closed off a hollow section of apple tree with a bit of
sheet lead and the appropriate 1" hole. There was lots of interest but
no nesting.

This year, the first thing I noticed was both parents dashing back and
forth with food.
--
Tim Lamb

We've now got three eggs and four chicks. My God they're ugly.

Another Dave
--
Change nospam to techie

Its worse if its wasps. Generally bees are ok.
AS for how long birds live, its a bit of a problem this one. Certainly the
same robin has been attending our garden for at least five years accordiing
to my neighbour as it always has a slightly uneven tail and is very
friendly, often waiting when the garden impliments come out sort of
suggesting he gets digging cos he is waiting for the worms to be revealed.
If a bird could tap its foot impatiently this would be the one I guess.
Brian

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This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
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"TheChief" wrote in message
news
TheChief Wrote in message:
Hi guys

I tried this on uk-birdwatching, but that group is getting about
one post a month so here goes...


We have a bird box currently inhabited by bluetits.
The bit we are struggling with is trying to work out the state of play.

Watching the movement it looks like there are two birds that are
flying in and out of the box but they are not collecting nest
material. It seems they are picking up grubs or going to the
feeder then returning to the box. I always expect one to stay on
the nest as I haven't heard any little ones yet.

With this behaviour, are these already hatched little ones flying
around?

One other question on birds in general, how long do the common
garden birds live for?


Thanks

Phil
--


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/


Thanks for the info guys.

I have certainly heard the inhabitants of the box in previous
years. Maybe this is when the chicks are fairly well developed.
One year I decided to lift the lid as I hadn't heard or seen much
that year. I thought better of it when there was a buzzing sound
from inside the box and waited till later in the year to remove
the bee's nest.

Phil
--


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
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TheChief Wrote in message:
Hi guys

I tried this on uk-birdwatching, but that group is getting about
one post a month so here goes...


We have a bird box currently inhabited by bluetits.
The bit we are struggling with is trying to work out the state of play.

Watching the movement it looks like there are two birds that are
flying in and out of the box but they are not collecting nest
material. It seems they are picking up grubs or going to the
feeder then returning to the box. I always expect one to stay on
the nest as I haven't heard any little ones yet.

With this behaviour, are these already hatched little ones flying
around?

One other question on birds in general, how long do the common
garden birds live for?


Thanks

Phil
--


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/


Thanks for the info guys.

I have certainly heard the inhabitants of the box in previous
years. Maybe this is when the chicks are fairly well developed.
One year I decided to lift the lid as I hadn't heard or seen much
that year. I thought better of it when there was a buzzing sound
from inside the box and waited till later in the year to remove
the bee's nest.

Phil
--


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/