Coal Tit nesting behaviour (2 Viewers)

M

mazungu

Well-known member

• Mar 31, 2017

• #1

Hi All, When I moved to my current address over 7 years ago I did everything to attract birds to the garden. The dreaded cats and a number of magpies didn't help. I also added a tit box which has remained empty and unused ever since...... until two weeks ago. I noticed what I thought was a blue tit entering it. It turned out to be a coal tit which has returned at least once every day since, with its mate sitting in a nearby tree flicking its wings and twittering, until today. Today has been a hive of activity. One bird has been in and out of the box many times for periods ranging from a few seconds to several minutes. The mate sits nearby in the tree always behaving in the same way. Today they haven't wandered far from the box and occasionally one appears to feed the other. I haven't seen any evidence of nesting material being taken into the box, but then I don't spend every waking minute watching. However it appears encouraging and I'm becoming quite excited at the prospect of a brood of coal tits in the not to distant future. Has anyone had a similar experience and can anyone offer any advice.
Cheers

 

MTem

Well-known member

• Mar 31, 2017

• #2

All sounds pretty normal. There is usually a lot of back and forth before a decision is made to actually build the nest, and this (from my experience now watching it on my camera nest box) often has quite a slow start and a lot of 'faffing' before they seem to very suddenly decide the time is right. Then the nest can be finished and lined in a few days and egg laying commences. They are trying to time the hatching to the splurge of caterpillars on the new leaf growth, so there is no point starting too early.

My blue tits have been bringing nest material for a few days, and one has been roosting in the box for a couple of weeks - but the time is not yet right, and it seems almost as much material is taken back out as is brought in on most days at the moment.

You are fortunate. Coal tits seem to be less inclined to use nest boxes than blue tits - and also I think blue tits will try to evict them if they decide they want to move in. They are aggressive little bu**ers.

Enjoy, although resist the temptation 'to take a peek'.

Mick

 

Last edited: Mar 31, 2017

M

mazungu

Well-known member

• Apr 1, 2017

• #3

Thanks

Thanks for the response Mick (MTem). Don't worry, I've no intention of interfering. I'm enjoying watching them coming and going and touching thumbs that they chose my box as a nesting site. If they do nest here do I clean the box out when the young have fledged and the birds have gone or do I "leave well alone"?

 

MTem

Well-known member

• Apr 1, 2017

• #4

Yes empty the box at the end of August and I also pour half a pint or so of boiling water in to try to kill any parasites that might try to last out to feed on next years brood.
I also check the boxes again at the end of March to see all is ok - I had about 50 slugs in one once! If they look contaminated in any way another sluice with boiling water.

Mick

 

M

mazungu

Well-known member

• Apr 26, 2017

• #5

Here's an update to my original post about the coal tit nesting behaviour. We are delighted to announce that the birds finally selected our nesting box and are busily feeding a recently hatched brood. We haven't gone near the box so don't know how many chicks there are, but the birds are frantically darting in and out of the box bringing food and removing poo!! We are extremely exited!!!

 

M

mazungu

Well-known member

• Apr 30, 2017

• #6

A further update - we are absolutely devastated!!!!!!!!!! The birds suddenly stopped visiting the nest with food and we discovered that the male coal tit had was killed by a cat. The female obviously realised that she couldn't possibly raise the brood alone and she abandoned them. Today we buried ten beautifully formed chicks. We appreciate that it's nature but it could so easily have been prevented. A collar with a bell would have made all the difference.

 

MTem

Well-known member

• Apr 30, 2017

• #7

True enough - if only cat owners realised the impact they have and how easily it can be mitigated. Do you know the cat/owner and can you tell them your story to see if it has any impact?
Mick

 

M

mazungu

Well-known member

• May 23, 2017

• #8

Hi Mick
Sorry, just seen your post as I've been away. Yes, we knew the cat owner and dropped her a note as we couldn't get a reply when knocking on her door. Her reply .......... and I quote "cats will be cats". She also went to great lengths to explain how she was an animal lover and a member of RSPB etc.
ROUND OBJECTS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

kev68

Member

• May 23, 2017

• #9

Coal tit

Hi Mick its always devastating when something like this happens especially after all this time of waiting. Hopefully another pair will nest in the box again.|:d|

 

MTem

Well-known member

• May 23, 2017

• #10

Cats will indeed be cats ..... that's the problem, but the solution is not to do nothing. The minimum the owner could do is fit a bell around its neck, perhaps going further to keeping it in during the early morning when cats seem to do the most hunting.

A barrel of water would be a further step!

Unfortunate, sad and possibly avoidable...... but all too common.

Mick

 

C

Christopher Wills

New member

• May 23, 2017

• #11

Interested to read the saga of the cat and the coal tits. We were also delighted to see a pair using one of our nesting boxes.They fed four chicks for about a week. The nesting box was vandalised by a woodpecker, who made the entry hole big enough to get his head in and remove the bedding. I reinstated the nest as best I could, but unfortunately the parents abandoned the chicks.I/ve removed the box cleaned it out and will try it again next year.

Wilco