Strange nest box behaviour
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- Barbel
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Strange nest box behaviour
After being taken over by bees last year, my nest box is getting lots of interest this year. There appears to be a pair of coal t*ts, and a pair of blue t*ts ( I've had blues before) who both seem to think it's their's. Over the last few days I've witnessed all 4 birds fly in with bits of fluff or moss, sometimes a coal t*t is waiting on the blue to come out and vice versa. I've seen a blue t*t flying OUT the box with bits in its mouth but not a coal t*t. 3 or 4 days in, they all appear to regard it as their own nest. Any ideas?
Last edited by zodiac on Sun Apr 12 2020 21:22, edited 1 time in total.
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- pete webster
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
zodiac wrote: βSun Apr 12 2020 19:51 -As Harry Hill says.After being taken over by bees last year, my best box is getting lots of interest this year. There appears to be a pair of coal t*ts, and a pair of blue t*ts ( I've had blues before) who both seem to think it's their's. Over the last few days I've witnessed all 4 birds fly in with bits of fluff or moss, sometimes a coal t*t is waiting on the blue to come out and vice versa. I've seen a blue t*t flying OUT the box with bits in its mouth but not a coal t*t. 3 or 4 days in, they all appear to regard it as their own nest. Any ideas?
FIGHT.
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- Chub
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Think they build 2 or 3 nests each and weigh them up later when they are about to put eggs down, expect they both fancy that box so much that they are willing to put the effort in, let us know who comes out on top
- John Milford
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Another bunch of t*ts with no clue about 'social distancing' . . . . .
"He's some sort of lure savant. Or just has an unhealthy addiction to old lures. We are not quite sure . . . . . "
- Mike J
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
I have known Blue t*ts incubate as many as 9eggs, as the eggs of a Coal t*t are almost identical to those of a Blue it was impossible to say if there not a mixed clutch.
Red Legged Partridges will lay in the nests of other RLP's so maybe Coals and Blues interact the same way.
Blue t*ts can be very aggressive when protecting their nest so yours are obviously happy with whatever is occurring, for now.
Keep reporting on the developments please, a very interesting subject and your right not to dismiss it.
Thanks for sharing
Red Legged Partridges will lay in the nests of other RLP's so maybe Coals and Blues interact the same way.
Blue t*ts can be very aggressive when protecting their nest so yours are obviously happy with whatever is occurring, for now.
Keep reporting on the developments please, a very interesting subject and your right not to dismiss it.
Thanks for sharing
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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- Chub
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
John Milford wrote: βMon Apr 13 2020 09:51 -Another bunch of t*ts with no clue about 'social distancing' . . . . .
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Mike J wrote: βMon Apr 13 2020 10:08 -Interesting you should say that Mike, only yesterday I found a nest with three Red Leg Partridge eggs and one Pheasant egg, never come across that before.I have known Blue t*ts incubate as many as 9eggs, as the eggs of a Coal t*t are almost identical to those of a Blue it was impossible to say if there not a mixed clutch.
Red Legged Partridges will lay in the nests of other RLP's so maybe Coals and Blues interact the same way.
Blue t*ts can be very aggressive when protecting their nest so yours are obviously happy with whatever is occurring, for now.
Keep reporting on the developments please, a very interesting subject and your right not to dismiss it.
Thanks for sharing
Will.
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Will Smith wrote: βMon Apr 13 2020 11:33 -dMike J wrote: βMon Apr 13 2020 10:08 -Interesting you should say that Mike, only yesterday I found a nest with three Red Leg Partridge eggs and one Pheasant egg, never come across that before.I have known Blue t*ts incubate as many as 9eggs, as the eggs of a Coal t*t are almost identical to those of a Blue it was impossible to say if there not a mixed clutch.
Red Legged Partridges will lay in the nests of other RLP's so maybe Coals and Blues interact the same way.
Blue t*ts can be very aggressive when protecting their nest so yours are obviously happy with whatever is occurring, for now.
Keep reporting on the developments please, a very interesting subject and your right not to dismiss it.
Thanks for sharing
Will.
How odd and also so coincidental.
It would be natural for us to assume that it was the Red Legged that was cuckooing the pheasant but the single Pheasant egg would indicate the bird had only just started laying as the Red Legs are not known to remove the host birds eggs, just add to them.
The alternative assumption is that the Pheasant was using the Reg Legs nest, something Ive no experience of.
Now you have an interesting subject to study in the coming weeks especially when the host bird starts to sit, wouldn't it be amazing if both birds sat the nest together?
Regular updates please.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Thats not going to happen Mike, 2mins after finding the nest one of my dogs brought me the fresh half eaten carcass of a red leg, I am assuming that a raptor or an owl had it by the way it was eaten, had it been a fox or badger there would not have been much left.
I will check the nest and see if the pheasant lays in it again though.
Will.
I will check the nest and see if the pheasant lays in it again though.
Will.
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- Barbel
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Update, not seen the blue t*ts around the box for a couple of days, but they still come to the feeders. The coal t*ts are still hovering about but entering the box with less frequency, certainly nothing has taken up residence yet. Being on lock down my kids are playing in the garden alot, I hope they're not putting off the birds, it'll be a long summer in the house if I have to keep them out the garden to look after my pet coal t*ts.
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- Barbel
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
That fat f*****g cat next door has done my two nest boxes again. I have a box in the crotch of an old apple tree which always attracts a pair of great t*ts and another blue t*t box further down the garden . Both boxes had birds in and out but the useless fat ball of hair from next door turned the great t*t box upside down and sat on the shed roof swiping at the blue t*ts as they tried to carry nesting material in and once again they've deserted.
God knows why anyone wants a cat as a pet. I wish they would ban people from owning them. They're a menace to wildlife and good for f*** all!
God knows why anyone wants a cat as a pet. I wish they would ban people from owning them. They're a menace to wildlife and good for f*** all!
I don't care who your dad is , you're not walking across the river when I'm fishing!
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Chris Hammond wrote: βThu Apr 16 2020 06:46 -Why we should have to tolerate other people's cats in our gardens I don't know.If I climbed over next doors fence and shat in their flowerbeds there would rightly be uproar but it's fine for other people's pets to do it in my garden.I used to grow veg until this year and have had the pleasure of accidentally sticking my hand in cat s**t on many occasions .If it became legal that you could shoot any cats in your own garden I'd buy a gun tomorrowThat fat f*****g cat next door has done my two nest boxes again. I have a box in the crotch of an old apple tree which always attracts a pair of great t*ts and another blue t*t box further down the garden . Both boxes had birds in and out but the useless fat ball of hair from next door turned the great t*t box upside down and sat on the shed roof swiping at the blue t*ts as they tried to carry nesting material in and once again they've deserted.
God knows why anyone wants a cat as a pet. I wish they would ban people from owning them. They're a menace to wildlife and good for f*** all!
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- Mike J
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Cats a a damn nuisance anywhere but around a grain store.
It is well known they kill huge numbers of wild birds and many new developments now have clauses included to restrict cats roaming and sometimes even ownership.
My previous neighbours had a cat, when it shat in my flower border I would fling the mess back onto their lawn and kept doing it until the wife saw me and asked what I was doing, when I told her I just returning her property she didnt speak to me again!
They and their cat have now moved, brilliant I thought, especially when I found the new neighbours have 5 terriers......terrrrrific
Then a cat appreared and its theirs and its now sh1tting in the same flower borders!!
There is another cat that used to do the same but I came home and caught it red handed and laid my holly stick across its back, my aim now is to get a stick across this one.
Grrrrr!
Dont leave those eggs to long Will, they make luuuverly omelettes
It is well known they kill huge numbers of wild birds and many new developments now have clauses included to restrict cats roaming and sometimes even ownership.
My previous neighbours had a cat, when it shat in my flower border I would fling the mess back onto their lawn and kept doing it until the wife saw me and asked what I was doing, when I told her I just returning her property she didnt speak to me again!
They and their cat have now moved, brilliant I thought, especially when I found the new neighbours have 5 terriers......terrrrrific
Then a cat appreared and its theirs and its now sh1tting in the same flower borders!!
There is another cat that used to do the same but I came home and caught it red handed and laid my holly stick across its back, my aim now is to get a stick across this one.
Grrrrr!
Dont leave those eggs to long Will, they make luuuverly omelettes
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
They are already gone Mike, I gave them to the dogs, we have ducks and hens so plenty of lovely free range eggs to go at.
I have checked the nest for the last few day and there is nothing happening.
Will.
I have checked the nest for the last few day and there is nothing happening.
Will.
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Cats are one nuisance that I have very little bother with, nearest cat owner to me must be 1/2 mile away so, rarely see any.
Will.
Will.
- Jason Skilton
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Well be have both.....nest boxes for the blue t*ts, which are been used for year on year sucessfully and cats.
The cats have there own indoor & outdoor litter trays which they use, are well fed, are kept in at from dusk till dawn to minimise any predation.
The nest box is mounted on a external wall of the house where the cats can't climb, thus the cats can't get the chicks.
The only animal that has ever tried to rob the next was a magpie.
Mounting a nest box in any garden tree's will always grab the attention of any apex predator, be it a cat, stoat, squirrel etc. If I was to use a tree, I'd ensure that any lower limbs of the tree within 3m of the box are removed and a flight path in/out is maintained without any overhanging branches,
Some good advice can be found on the RSPB website,
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... -bird-box/
The cats have there own indoor & outdoor litter trays which they use, are well fed, are kept in at from dusk till dawn to minimise any predation.
The nest box is mounted on a external wall of the house where the cats can't climb, thus the cats can't get the chicks.
The only animal that has ever tried to rob the next was a magpie.
Mounting a nest box in any garden tree's will always grab the attention of any apex predator, be it a cat, stoat, squirrel etc. If I was to use a tree, I'd ensure that any lower limbs of the tree within 3m of the box are removed and a flight path in/out is maintained without any overhanging branches,
Some good advice can be found on the RSPB website,
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... -bird-box/
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- Barbel
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
The female coal t*t moved in to the box today, the male is darting back and forth with food for her, happy days.
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Alex Fox wrote: βTue Apr 21 2020 19:41 -I thought these had gone too, after a week of nest building they disappeared for a few days, i didnt even see them on the feeders. Then they turned up today ready to nest. So don't discount them yet.
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
zodiac wrote: βTue Apr 21 2020 19:46 -I would be very pleased to find them suddenly back again ... especially as the crows have gone !
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
I thought our blue t*ts had dissappeared too from our box, but the female is sitting on a clutch of eggs and male is going in a out about 5/6 times a day with food. Most of the time he is protecting the nest from a higher vantage point
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
zodiac wrote: βTue Apr 21 2020 19:46 -
Blimey, only saw the crafty blue t*t popping in and out of the box this afternoon getting food
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Alex Fox wrote: βWed May 06 2020 22:20 -Good stuff! I'm getting very paternal over my baby coal t*ts! They've not even hatched and we've picked names for them all..zodiac wrote: βTue Apr 21 2020 19:46 -
Blimey, only saw the crafty blue t*t popping in and out of the box this afternoon getting food
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
I've no idea what's going on with my nest box. There was a blue t*t on it's roof today, but yesterday one flew straight in and didn't leave for ages.
Next door's horrible blue box, with a door painted on the front, has great t*ts feeding young in it.
Next door's horrible blue box, with a door painted on the front, has great t*ts feeding young in it.
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
zodiac wrote: βFri May 08 2020 15:16 -Alex Fox wrote: βWed May 06 2020 22:20 -Good stuff! I'm getting very paternal over my baby coal t*ts! They've not even hatched and we've picked names for them all..zodiac wrote: βTue Apr 21 2020 19:46 -
Blimey, only saw the crafty blue t*t popping in and out of the box this afternoon getting food
Haha these are my babies too ... when they come out, i will be on crow and magpie watch !!!
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
davelumb wrote: βFri May 08 2020 16:39 -I've no idea what's going on with my nest box. There was a blue t*t on it's roof today, but yesterday one flew straight in and didn't leave for ages.
Next door's horrible blue box, with a door painted on the front, has great t*ts feeding young in it.
Sounds like they have a nest in there
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
Alex Fox wrote: βFri May 08 2020 17:06 -Fingers crossed.davelumb wrote: βFri May 08 2020 16:39 -I've no idea what's going on with my nest box. There was a blue t*t on it's roof today, but yesterday one flew straight in and didn't leave for ages.
Next door's horrible blue box, with a door painted on the front, has great t*ts feeding young in it.
Sounds like they have a nest in there
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
My coal t*ts have hatched! Mum and dad in and out constantly this morning with food. Crows and magpies hovering about like vultures. Is there any way of deterring the crows without scaring away the garden birds?
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Re: Strange nest box behaviour
I would add that an air rifle isn't feasible.
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