2 Blue Tit nests (1 Viewer)

[Mark Harper]

I put up this box hoping for Tree Sparrows, but they have never shown any interest in it. Blue Tits however are occupying the centre and right holes, when the nests were being built I watched an individual bird going into both holes with sheep’s wool that I had put out for them. I looked in a couple of weeks ago and there were c10 eggs in each.

Today when I was looking I could see a Blue Tit with its head out of the right hole holding a caterpillar, it came out and went to the centre hole and passed the caterpillar to the bird in that hole, which then went into the right hole and didn’t reappear in the time I was watching.

Anyone got any idea what is going on?

 

[YuShan]

Nice!

Weird that you have two nests. I would have thought that only one would get occupied because these birds are territorial. Perhaps the male has two females? But why flying out of one with a caterpillar and delivering it to the other?

Perhaps in one box the eggs haven't hatched yet and no female incubating, so he goes to the other box. Or both nests have eggs but one nest has been abandoned?

All pure speculation, but fascinating

 

[UK Nature Lover]

I put up this box hoping for Tree Sparrows, but they have never shown any interest in it. Blue Tits however are occupying the centre and right holes, when the nests were being built I watched an individual bird going into both holes with sheep’s wool that I had put out for them. I looked in a couple of weeks ago and there were c10 eggs in each.

Today when I was looking I could see a Blue Tit with its head out of the right hole holding a caterpillar, it came out and went to the centre hole and passed the caterpillar to the bird in that hole, which then went into the right hole and didn’t reappear in the time I was watching.

Anyone got any idea what is going on?

Hi Mark,

What was the outcome of your nest/s?

 

[Mark Harper]

The right hand nest fledged successfully, the other nest was abandoned.