Diary 2008 Page Three

21st April

The first egg has been laid.  I first saw it on Sunday morning but my daughter, who was using the computer on Saturday evening, described what she had watched inside the box and it sounded very much as if the egg was actually laid on Saturday evening.
On Sunday evening, I started the capture when she was in the box at about 5.00pm when I saw her in the nest cup.  Having looked at the video, it is possible that she had already laid the egg.  I shall have to start recording earlier today. The top picture on the left was taken on Sunday morning when the light was better.  The lower one was taken this morning before the light was very good.  At present, the eggs are covered so I shall have to hope I can get a better picture later today.
This is the first time that one of my birds has laid her egg in the evening.  In fact, I am not certain that they were....yet!  However, I had an email from another birdbox cyber-buddy in Belfast who has a nest of great tits and they, too, laid their first egg in the evening.  Like me, he was rather surprised as he hasn't heard of this, either.

There are a couple of videos below.  The first shows the male feeding his mate inside the box.  I love the way she flutters her wings. The second one shows the female leaving the nest to reveal the first egg.



22nd April

The third egg was visible this morning.  She arrived in the box quite early.  Much earlier than she did when just roosting so I was hoping to catch her laying.  I watched for some time before leaving the computer to capture.  I captured around two hours of video between 7.00 and nine but did not see her lay an egg.  Her posture, attitude and restlessness were consistent with previous laying cycles but no egg.  I hope to connect the camera to a VCR tonight so that I can record 6 hours of video to see when she lays.

On 6th April, I mentioned the little mouse that I found in my mealworm feeder that was being stored in the coal bunker with the bird food.  Today, I decided to clean the bunker as it was smelling like a dirty cage!.  I checked the feeder for occupants but, as there were none, I removed all the bins and buckets of food and the old Euro-bag that we also store in there.  It was then that I found I had not one mouse but three!  One was larger then the others so I assume there was a mother and two offspring.
They all managed to escape when I opened the hatch at the front and I was able to hose the bunker clean.  I left the hatch propped up and the feeder back on the floor in case they wish to move in again.  Below, are some still from the video of them.  I shall add some video of them as soon as I get a chance to edit some.

A couple of days ago, Viv thought she saw a bluetit leave another box that we have near the back door.  When our neighbours also asked if there were birds nesting in there, I decided to set up a camera to keep watch.  What I saw was a cock-sparrow arrive with a long strand of grass and enter the box.  He perched for some time on the roof before entering but was back up to the entrance hole very quickly.  He stuck out his head and tried to coax a mate to take up his offer of a Des-Res!!		  

 

 

Three eggs
Click the picture for a video of her bringing some pink bedding in and then taking it straight out again!  I assume it clashed with the decor?
One of the mice
Click the picture for a video of the mice in the coal bunker
The Sparrow
Click the picture for a video of him bringing the grass, calling and leaving
24th April

There are now five eggs as shown in the picture.  This was taken at about 6.30 this morning.  Later, the female came into the box and began to cover the eggs.  She heard another bird land on the box and assumed it was her mate with an offering of food.  She became all excited, called to him and fluttered her wings but the cad deserted her and left her hungry!  She continued to cover the eggs before leaving.
Click the picture to see the video.

25th April

The six eggs were clearly visible this morning and I grabbed this image before she returned to cover them up.  I also grabbed  some video of her when she returned and pulled the nesting material over the eggs.  If you click on the image, it will open this short video.
Yesterday, we went to Fishguard and I found a seed feeder in a store that I have adapted as a feeder for the mealworms which should arrive this morning.  I cut the entry holes and inverted the plastic windows. I thought it was a good buy for £1.50.  Saves me making a new one after the mice started squatting in the old one!!


           
Six eggs
      As bought           Now adapted
27th April

Yesterday morning I set up the newly adapted mealworm feeder in the garden.  I put it in the same place as I put the feeder with the dog's fur.  I left a camera running to record any visits while I went shopping.  When I returned, I found far fewer worms left so was keen to see the video.  It seems that the feeder is too easy to break out of and so an enterprising robin was the first to notice the free dinner and was picking off the escapees as they made a bid for freedom.  This was after just 38 minutes.  Not long after that, a bluetit began to make a meal of them.  The difference was that bluetits remove the head and entrails before swallowing the worms.
In view of the ease with which my expensive mealworms are making a run for it, I decided to make a new DaViv model as shown the on this site.  It was up within 40 minutes and a bluetit was trying to find a way in to the worms very soon afterwards.  I am hoping to capture some video later.
These pictures show the seven eggs from yesterday and the eight from early this morning and again this evening.  The third one was taken this evening when the female left for a break at around 6.00pm.  She has been incubating all day so I can expect to see the first chicks in about 14 days.
28th April

I had a surprise this morning when I watched her leave the nest at about 6.30.  As you can see there are nine eggs and she is still incubating.  Yesterday, as she spent all day incubating, I assumed that she had finished laying.  Today the male has been in several times to feed her and I'm sure there were some mealworms brought in.  I refilled both feeders this morning so there are plenty to go round.  Here are some links to short video clips.


 Nine eggs

She leaves after the eighth egg
The robin at the new feeder
The bluetit at the new feeder
The male feeds her with a mealworm
29th April

I had a nasty shock this morning when I fired up my computer.  It wouldn't start.  I am trying to rescue my files and folders but, in the meantime, I am using my wife's computer.  I call it 'hers' but she knows that they are all mine, really ;-)

The biggest news for the birdbox is that we now have ten eggs.  This is the most we have ever had since I started watching about six years ago.  Unfortunately, I can't grab any screen shots at present as I have to install the editing/capture software. I use Pinnacle Studio 10.  I am hoping to get all the programmes sorted in the next day or two.

  
30th April

I am still trying to re-install all my corrupted software.  Pinnacle is being rather a pain!  However, I have been able to capture some clips with Windows Movie Maker.  I saved these two images to show the ten eggs and her sitting on them.  It's great to hear her chirrup away merrily in the box.  I assume she is communicating with her mate?


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