Blue-tit tiff leads to loss of clutch?
Mike Coon
images from my nest-box video camera
(http://www.mjcoon.connectfree.co.uk/BlueTitScrap.htm).
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.
Malda
Mike Coon <mjcoon@@connectfee.net> wrote in message
news:acrijt$a5m$1...@news.minx.net.uk...
Hi Mike
You don't happen to live in Telford do you. Just that I may have found the
other "female".
When nest building started in the Blue Tits box at the back of my garden,
there were often three adults in and out of the box. There was never any
squabbling between them and they were together for a week or so as the nest
was being built. The female laid 9 eggs and 7 hatched. It was obvious
after awhile, that there was only one parent doing all the feeding and she
managed to raise 5. One chick left the nest at 6.35am this morning and the
others have been feeding at the entrance. I guess they will be gone by
Monday morning.
But what happened to the other "pair", is it possible the male Blue Tit had
two females.
Martin
PS You didn't happen to see what colour the lipstick was.
Mike Coon
news:acrmig$u8a$1...@news5.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> Hi Mike
> You don't happen to live in Telford do you. Just that I may have found
the
> other "female".
No, in Berkshire (too far to arrange a "Blind Date" blue-tit tryst, I
fear...
> When nest building started in the Blue Tits box at the back of my garden,
> there were often three adults in and out of the box. There was never any
> squabbling between them and they were together for a week or so as the
nest
> was being built. The female laid 9 eggs and 7 hatched. It was obvious
> after awhile, that there was only one parent doing all the feeding and she
> managed to raise 5. One chick left the nest at 6.35am this morning and
the
> others have been feeding at the entrance. I guess they will be gone by
> Monday morning.
That is strange. I observed a "helper" at a long-tailed tit's nest a few
years ago, looked it up and found it is not uncommon in that species. But
they are unrelated to the Parus tits so I had not expected they would share
that behaviour. Is Chris Mead monitoring?
> But what happened to the other "pair", is it possible the male Blue Tit
had
> two females.
I thought that tits were faithful compared to, say, dunnock.
> Martin
>
> PS You didn't happen to see what colour the lipstick was.
No. I must get a better camera for next year...
Mike.
Chris Mead
from "Mike Coon" <mjcoon@@connectfee.net> contains these words:
> Malda <mar...@malda.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:acrmig$u8a$1...@news5.svr.pol.co.uk...
> >
> > 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!
--
Chris Mead, Hilborough, Norfolk
chris...@zetnet.co.uk or chris...@farm-direct.co.uk
Visit http://www.farm-direct.co.uk/ to find your local farm gate outlets
Visit http://www.birdcare.com/birdon for bird information
And http://www.bto.org/migwatch to log bird migration and see it happen
Jason Smart
> Malda <mar...@malda.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:acrmig$u8a$1...@news5.svr.pol.co.uk...
> >
> > 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...
Just as well - they certainly wouldn't get on! Oops. I really don't watch
that programme, honestly....