My Blue Tits Are Back!

[Peanut]

It might be a little bit early but it looks like Mrs blue tit has started to lay her eggs. She is staying in the box quite a lot now, so far all day today, only nipping out to the feeder and straight back.
Exciting times ahead!

Its times like this I wish I had a nest cam.

[Peanut]

Well doesn't time fly!
My blue tits have fledged, gone, flown the nest!
I have emptied the box and cleaned it out, there was 2 unhatched eggs left.
The garden feels empty now, I hate this feeling.
After weeks of ducking incoming and outgoing blue tits it is suddenly all very still and uncomfortably quiet.

I hope they come back for food. The live mini mealworms finally arrived today, a week later than expected, talk about rubbish timing.

Maybe they will have a second brood...

[Nicos]

Interestingly…..one of my nesting boxes was chirping away yesterday!
I hadn’t realised it was occupied.
Mom and dad didn’t seem to be bothered about me sat on the gravel weeding directly beneath the box.
They really are sweet birds aren’t they?

Fingers crossed you get more tenants in there

[Peanut]

How lovely that you have some too! They are so sweet, mine were a really good couple too, always two of them sharing the load. Just wonderful

[Nicos]

I realise how lucky we are!
I think mine mustn’t be far off fledging from their noise levels. I’ll certainly check on them daily from now on.
The nesting box is tucked down the side of our garage , so pretty quiet for them most of the time.

Hope yours come back for the mealworms!

[Peanut]

Fingers crossed yours all fledge successfully, they alway seem to fledge very early in the morning.
I haven't seen the adults or youngsters since they left the nest. Its the same every year. They just vanish off into the garden.
No bird has found the mealworms yet, daft things, they're in a hanging feeder where all the birds normally perch, but since putting them out the garden is really quiet, apart from a family of goldfinches and chaffinches, which of course are all seed eaters!
Looks like I am going to have to spread the worms about a bit, or I will end up breeding them again and that's not part of my plan, though I guess I could

[Nicos]

I seem to recall hedgehogs really enjoying mealworms?
Not so good in that they are low in calcium, but a lovely treat.
Or have you already found that out???

[Peanut]

I think mealworms are bad for hedgehogs.

[Nicos]

I’ve just checked…yup…you are absolutely correct peanut!
.Thanks for that, always good to know.

Probably in the same way that snails and slugs aren’t ok either , but for different reasons.