blue tits (1 Viewer)

[stradbroke223]

I have a camera box and blue tits have nested after several years of nothing.
Over a period of a few days 7 eggs have appeared but the female has not been constant on the nest. Nearly one whole day by went without nesting. She is now nesting most of the time and being fed by her partner. She leaves now and again for short periods.
Does the lack of constant nesting mean that the eggs are too cold to develop, especially the whole day left?
Before eggs were laid and for a few nights 3 birds roosted in the box, now just the one.

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum. I hope you enjoy your visits.

The eggs should be fine. We've had blue tits in our nest box for the past 4 years and have noticed, via the camera, that quite often the eggs are left unattended for some time (handy as it means we can count how many there are!), and the clutches have been reared successfully.

 

[stradbroke223]

Thanks for your guidance as you can tell we are new to this adventure.
When should we clear the box out when finished with or do they carry on roosting if so when do we know and also we need to adjust the camera anyway?

 

[delia todd]

Hi Stradbroke and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. Blue Tits can lay up to twelve eggs at the rate of about 1 per day, but it may be two before the next one comes. They don't start to incubate the eggs until the clutch is complete, thus ensuring that all the young will fledge at more or less the same time.

You can read more about them in our Opus article: Eurasian Blue Tit - BirdForum Opus

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[Kits]

Thanks for your guidance as you can tell we are new to this adventure.
When should we clear the box out when finished with or do they carry on roosting if so when do we know and also we need to adjust the camera anyway?

Leave the box until the autumn - September - and clear it out and clean it then.

Please don't do anything about adjusting the camera as it will disturb the birds and could cause them to abandon the nest.

 

[Chris G6 UXU]

Hello and welcome to the forum, enjoy and all the best.

 

[YuShan]

I have a camera box and blue tits have nested after several years of nothing.
Over a period of a few days 7 eggs have appeared but the female has not been constant on the nest. Nearly one whole day by went without nesting. She is now nesting most of the time and being fed by her partner. She leaves now and again for short periods.
Does the lack of constant nesting mean that the eggs are too cold to develop, especially the whole day left?
Before eggs were laid and for a few nights 3 birds roosted in the box, now just the one.

As long as the clutch is not complete, the bird will not spend a long time incubating. This to ensure that the eggs won't hatch too far apart. Once the clutch is complete, she will spend most of the time incubating, but still leaves the nest every now and then to feed, even when the male brings her some food. This is normal.

If she wasn't on the nest for a whole day, I don't think that is a problem if it was in the very beginning of the incubation period. I think it could be a problem later in the period, but I wouldn't worry about it. The birds probably know best and the way it is going now looks normal to me.

During the incubation period, the female sleeps on the nest. In my own nest box, it has usually been only the female who spends the night in the nestbox.

 

[Fritz73]

Hola! Welcome to Birdforum