Spring 2010 our Blue Tit Nest Box

[Angela Goodall]

Have been looking at your site today and have found it very informative - great pictures too. We have had blue tits nesting in our garden for 4 years now but this is the first year we have had a camera in the box where the bluetits have nested. We decided to set up a bluetit blog which has been very interesting. You can view our blog at Blue Tits Blog @ Goodallweb.com
We have learned alot about the bluetits from watching the nest box camera and look forward to doing all again next year. Our chicks flew on Sunday 30th May 2010.

[rossy]

welcome angela and thanks for sharing your lovely blue tits, its good news as if you have read other threads on here, some were not as fortunate, mainly down to food availability, and sudden temperature changes, rossy .

[Angela Goodall]

We did notice that the adult blue tit was trying to feed the chick with peanuts which were as big as the chicks head. Perhaps due to the lack of caterpillars in the area at the time. This may have been due to the cold weather we had earlier on in April/May. You can see our video clip by following this link Feeding Time | Bluetits@goodallweb.com

[Poppleford Ginny]

FANTASTIC photos Angela! I am quite envious!
Ginny

[rossy]

yes same here a pair of great tits are taking peanuts for there young and ignoring the suet, fat balls , fruit , seeds, bread moistioned, but blue tits are having a mixture, but plenty of caterpillars available now as well so they have a choice and i think they know whats best, rossy,

[Rashmika]

Brilliant stuff!

I am quite jealous We get plenty of Tits in our garden, and I know there is a Robin pair nesting within a couple of metres of my garden boundary too.

I keep meaning to look at places for a nest box... maybe a job for this coming Autumn!

[Angela Goodall]

Thank you for the lovely comments.

Yes, we feel very lucky as we have had 4 years of successful nesting but this is our first year captured on camera.

We found that our blue tits preferred the box to be facing north. Therefore out of the direct sun and sheltered from the wind.

We have also read that you shouldn't put multiple nest boxes too close as birds are territorial. We also have food about 10 metres away from the nest box which means that other birds are not too near. Water is always available.

Our nest box is about 3 metres from our back door and 3.5 metres from the ground but this didn't seem to worry the blue tits. We had blue tits nest in a new box 4 years ago for 3 consecutive years, we then put a new box up in a different position (no success). Moved the new box to the old box position and there was success. We therefore think that position is more important than whether the box is old or new.