Last weekend I became aware that only one parent was visiting the nest box and although the chicks were naked and with eyes still closed they were left on their own a lot of the time. Through Sunday they were abandoned altogether. I could see a large blue-bottle-type fly prospecting around the chicks.
Since I was removing small green caterpillars from my gooseberry bushes I took the nest box down, warmed the four chicks by reflecting sunlight into it and tried feed them the caterpillars. Although I had some limited success, and was rewarded by the presentation of a few faecal sacs to remove, the chicks were very weak and feeding was difficult. Especially getting the chicks to crane and gape for long enough to aim a caterpillar. I also removed two dead chicks that may have attracted the fly.
I decided that it would not be fair to try to find someone to take the chicks on for raising. Had they had feathers and their eyes open it might have been a better prospect. I put the nest box back in position in the early evening.
When I got back from work on Monday the chicks were, as I expected, dead. There were already numbers of minute maggots starting the process of recycling them.
I am left wondering if the fight between the adults, who I presume were the parents, caused one bird to desert and thus led to the demise of the chicks. And, of course, what led to the fight. Was it an errant male who had the blue-tit equivalent of lipstick on his collar?
Mike (curious as ever...) -- If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.
> Last weekend I became aware that only one parent was visiting the nest box > and although the chicks were naked and with eyes still closed they were left > on their own a lot of the time. Through Sunday they were abandoned > altogether. I could see a large blue-bottle-type fly prospecting around the > chicks.
> Since I was removing small green caterpillars from my gooseberry bushes I > took the nest box down, warmed the four chicks by reflecting sunlight into > it and tried feed them the caterpillars. Although I had some limited > success, and was rewarded by the presentation of a few faecal sacs to > remove, the chicks were very weak and feeding was difficult. Especially > getting the chicks to crane and gape for long enough to aim a caterpillar. I > also removed two dead chicks that may have attracted the fly.
> I decided that it would not be fair to try to find someone to take the > chicks on for raising. Had they had feathers and their eyes open it might > have been a better prospect. I put the nest box back in position in the > early evening.
> When I got back from work on Monday the chicks were, as I expected, dead. > There were already numbers of minute maggots starting the process of > recycling them.
> I am left wondering if the fight between the adults, who I presume were the > parents, caused one bird to desert and thus led to the demise of the chicks. > And, of course, what led to the fight. Was it an errant male who had the > blue-tit equivalent of lipstick on his collar?
> Mike (curious as ever...)
Hi Mike You don't happen to live in Telford do you. Just that I may have found the other "female".
When nest building started in the Blue Tits box at the back of my garden, there were often three adults in and out of the box. There was never any squabbling between them and they were together for a week or so as the nest was being built. The female laid 9 eggs and 7 hatched. It was obvious after awhile, that there was only one parent doing all the feeding and she managed to raise 5. One chick left the nest at 6.35am this morning and the others have been feeding at the entrance. I guess they will be gone by Monday morning.
But what happened to the other "pair", is it possible the male Blue Tit had two females.
Martin
PS You didn't happen to see what colour the lipstick was.
> Hi Mike > You don't happen to live in Telford do you. Just that I may have found the > other "female".
No, in Berkshire (too far to arrange a "Blind Date" blue-tit tryst, I fear...
> When nest building started in the Blue Tits box at the back of my garden, > there were often three adults in and out of the box. There was never any > squabbling between them and they were together for a week or so as the nest > was being built. The female laid 9 eggs and 7 hatched. It was obvious > after awhile, that there was only one parent doing all the feeding and she > managed to raise 5. One chick left the nest at 6.35am this morning and the > others have been feeding at the entrance. I guess they will be gone by > Monday morning.
That is strange. I observed a "helper" at a long-tailed tit's nest a few years ago, looked it up and found it is not uncommon in that species. But they are unrelated to the Parus tits so I had not expected they would share that behaviour. Is Chris Mead monitoring?
> But what happened to the other "pair", is it possible the male Blue Tit had > two females.
I thought that tits were faithful compared to, say, dunnock.
> Martin
> PS You didn't happen to see what colour the lipstick was.
No. I must get a better camera for next year...
Mike. -- If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.
> > Hi Mike > > You don't happen to live in Telford do you. Just that I may have found > the > > other "female". > No, in Berkshire (too far to arrange a "Blind Date" blue-tit tryst, I > fear... > > When nest building started in the Blue Tits box at the back of my garden, > > there were often three adults in and out of the box. There was never any > > squabbling between them and they were together for a week or so as the > nest > > was being built. The female laid 9 eggs and 7 hatched. It was obvious > > after awhile, that there was only one parent doing all the feeding and she > > managed to raise 5. One chick left the nest at 6.35am this morning and > the > > others have been feeding at the entrance. I guess they will be gone by > > Monday morning. > That is strange. I observed a "helper" at a long-tailed tit's nest a few > years ago, looked it up and found it is not uncommon in that species. But > they are unrelated to the Parus tits so I had not expected they would share > that behaviour. Is Chris Mead monitoring?
Yes
> > But what happened to the other "pair", is it possible the male Blue Tit > had > > two females. > I thought that tits were faithful compared to, say, dunnock. > > Martin
> > PS You didn't happen to see what colour the lipstick was. > No. I must get a better camera for next year... > Mike. > -- > If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.
All sorts of things are possible. Male tits and Pied Flycatchers (not breeding) often look in at occuypied nbest probably to find out how they are doing with a view to where to settle next year.
Parents feeding young that have them die can be lured to feed other chicks by the begging. Same species, between species and (especially) Cuckoos.
Three birds may settle together and even have two females with two nest cups in the same box!
> > When nest building started in the Blue Tits box at the back of my garden, > > there were often three adults in and out of the box. There was never any > > squabbling between them and they were together for a week or so as the > nest > > was being built. The female laid 9 eggs and 7 hatched. It was obvious > > after awhile, that there was only one parent doing all the feeding and she > > managed to raise 5. One chick left the nest at 6.35am this morning and > the > > others have been feeding at the entrance. I guess they will be gone by > > Monday morning.
> That is strange. I observed a "helper" at a long-tailed tit's nest a few > years ago, looked it up and found it is not uncommon in that species. But > they are unrelated to the Parus tits so I had not expected they would share > that behaviour. Is Chris Mead monitoring?
> > But what happened to the other "pair", is it possible the male Blue Tit > had > > two females.
> I thought that tits were faithful compared to, say, dunnock.
> > Martin
> > PS You didn't happen to see what colour the lipstick was.
> No. I must get a better camera for next year...
> Mike. > -- > If reply address = connectfee, add an r because it is free not fee.
