Lots of chicks going cheep

[LezH]

It's been a long time since I visited so hope this is the right place.

This was a very successful blue tit year for me: 13 chicks, going by the evidence (and the noise!).

When I knew there was a pair and the signs were that they had been laying, I checked (briefly and carefully while the parents were some way away) and found there were thirteen eggs. It looked a bit like Mother Nature's version of a ferrero rocher advert! It's a wonder mum didn't slide off the pyramid!

I didn't check again but I can't imagine that she added any more to the clutch.

The weekend before last the missus and I had to shout to be heard above the din the other side of the window. By last weekend, all was quiet and, when I had a peek, the nestbox was empty save for a lovely thick cosy nest of (mostly) Japanese Akita fur. There were no dead chicks and no unhatched eggs - and I'm as sure as eggs are eggs(!) that there had been no raids by predators.

So, I'm claiming a score of 13. I'm sure it's all down to me being a strapping virile lad!

Just quickly following up posts I've read elsewhere on this topic of nesting, can anyone answer me this...

How close is 'too close' to put two blue tit boxes; would the same apply for one blue tit and one great tit box; is it better to have a bit of plant life near the nest (mine's bare on the top of a metal pole); is it worth putting up a 'sparrow dormitory' (as seen on TV!) or should I leave it till later in the year or early next?

Thanks a lot -

LezH :h?:

[Elizabeth Bigg]

Hi LezH - that's a lot of bluetits! I'll take your 13 with a pinch of salt - because if a chick dies when it is still fairly newly hatched, the parents will remove the body. We had this happen one year. Next year you need a camera in the box, then you can see exactly what goes on in there! :eek!:

PS - I read recently that on average only one chick from a bluetit brood will live to go on to breed the next year.

[LezH]

Well, I know it's a bit like a fisherman's tale but last year from the same nest I had either 10 chicks plus one unhatched egg or 9 chicks plus the egg - can't quite remember but it wasn't less than that and they all survived. If I punch up the photographic proof now it'll crash my system (there's a bug there that always does; it's not an excuse!) but I've no reason to believe that this year was any less successful.

But even if none of the brood had hatched (if they didn't they were the noisiest eggs I've heard in my life!) it's still an impressive clutch size, isn't it?

I was going to web-cam it this year but time, technology, money and circumstances legislated against it, I'm afraid. Perhaps next year; I'd be glad of any tips you could give me.

As I say, I've not been on BF for some while so you might have done this already but, if not, why don't you do an article on it? I did have time for a quick look at your smashing website earlier so you probably are published somewhere. Perhaps you could send me a link?

Thanks. Best wishes - Lez

[pauco]

Well Lez, that was a great outcome for your blue tit's. EB is our BF expert on blue tits, and has a brill sight looks like you visited, well worth having a chat with her for any advice on these birds.

bert.:flyaway: