Day 148/365: Nesting blue tits

[nanila]

Humuhumu made a bird box with her Granddad over the winter holidays a couple of years ago. We put it in the hedgerow when we got home, and promptly forgot about it.

Until a couple of weeks ago, when we noticed a blue tit seemed to be going in and out of it regularly.

The baby blue tits have hatched! We can hear them peeping inside, and this afternoon I got the chance to sit outside and watch patiently from the bench some distance away whilst the parents darted in and out of the box, carrying in food and removing waste.


A wild blue tit appears!


Blue tit with large green grub in its beak perches on the bramble just outside the entrance.


Blue tit looks carefully over its shoulder before entering the box.


A rare glimpse of both parents. One is sitting on the bramble whilst the other emerges carrying a little poo sac for disposal.


Parent in flight, leaving the box with poo sac in its beak.

(x-posted to common_nature)

Comments

[angelofthenorth]

Oh that's wonderful

[nanila]

Got to watch them again for a short while today. Still delightful!

[worlds_of_smoke]

omg, that's so awesome!! We had a bird nest in our water heater closet outside at the old place and it's one of the few things I miss about that shithole.

[nanila]

Aw, I bet the baby birds loved that cosy warm spot.

[worlds_of_smoke]

I think so! They came back every year we lived there, and we lived there for like... 13 years? Something like that.

[nightdog_barks]

Look at that! What beautiful little guys. We've had Carolina wrens nest in our backyard before, but nothing like the blue tits.

[nanila]

They're tiny and perfect. And very, very alert!

[ayebydan]

How lovely!

[nanila]

Yes! We're all very pleased that they've taken up residence.

[fadedwings]

Lovely!!! Such great shots too!

[kotturinn]

Excellent. Brilliant photos too.

[nanila]

Thank you. I watched them for a bit again today. :)

[nanila]

Thank you! I'm just hoping they don't fledge on a day when I'm in London...

[paleblinds]

How lovely!

[nanila]

Yes! They're adorable.

[meepettemu]

That last one is amazing!

[nanila]

Thanks! I was lucky to have my finger on the shutter button at that moment.

[lurkingcat]

Oh, that's fantastic!

[nanila]

There was a lot of chatter coming from the box today. Hungry babies!

[sfred]

❤️

[nanila]

:) ♥

[gwendraith]

What a lovely set of photos! I love the birds, and I have many blue tits this year who are working hard to feed their babies. I don't know where the nests are but they will be close by.

[nanila]

Thank you! I was amazed at how close they were willing to be to the house and our activity in the garden.

[tree_and_leaf]

Marvellous - and lovely photos!

[nanila]

Thank you!

[ursajoanna]

Wonderful!

[nanila]

I was very happy I got to spend a little time in the garden today watching them. :)

[forthwritten]

Lovely photos!

I do like that they carry the faecal sack away from the nest - smart little birds!

[nanila]

Thank you!

I hadn't realised what a tremendous variety of things they ate until I started taking these photos. Grubs, worms, caterpillars, very large spiders, whatever they can get their beaks round, it seems.

[ironed_orchid]

So lovely.

[nanila]

Yes! I know the chances are small of me catching the babies fledging even if I am home, but I still hope it doesn't happen on one of my London days...