Great tit and Robin make a nest each and lay eggs
It’s Easter Sunday so I thought it appropriate to show a different kind of egg! Oak leaves collected in early spring to mulch my garden borders, moss raked from lawn and left in situ, wool from the countryside found hanging on a barbed wire fence and crushed up snail shells all put to good use in my wildlife garden! Both the males watched over their nest building females, both were singing, both collected food for their partners which strengthens their bonding. This carried on after the eggs were laid with the females brooding them. Sometimes the males would perch nearby with a prey item, call his partner and she would dash out, flutter her wings at him, he would ‘feed’ her with it. She would stretch her wings and forage for herself, returning to the nest a short time later. Sometimes the male would go to the bird feeder and help himself from it, fly to her and feed her whilst she was on a branch, even though she is quite capable of feeding herself.
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Happy Easter to you George. Great filming as always . Is the tit nest made in wood or fibre compound with a camera inside?
Look forward to seeing the fledglings!!
Regards Marian
Thanks Marian. Will keep you posted! Its a woodcrete nest box. Cheers George
Hi George,
Very interesting article and shell experiments. Great nestbuilding video too. The article made me think of the hen’s eggshells from our kitchens – there must be millions each day – and I guess would be a useful supply of calcium? I will start putting mine (suitably crushed) out under the bushes rather than in the compost (wife permitting of course!).
Best wishes and thanks
Kit