Sun Protection: Roof

As already mentioned, I added a small roof to avoid sun directly hitting the nesting box. I read a very interesting paper about the temperature which hatchlings can cope with as a function of age (3, 6,,...days old) and of number (3, 6, ... hatchlings). To avoid the temperature rising too much (the sun shines onto the nesting box between 12:30 and 16:15 pm. ca.), I constructed the roof and mounted it in what was a race against time or rather against the weather. I was totally nackered but happy when finally last night I could admire my work.



Some people were concerned that the birds would not like me moving around the box...well mother bird was sitting in the nesting box whilst I was working outside...

Parent Flight Upon Leaving the Nesting Box

The picture I posted on the 25th, arose some attention, so I thought I should post the other pictures I took of the same kind: female and male bird leaving the nesting box...


















I hope you enjoy these pictures just as much as I enjoyed taking them....oh and please note that this was not my only entry today (in case you just popped in) I finally posted videos of the young hatchlings!

Videos of Hatchlings

After two days of unbearable heat...it started raining last night and today it continues to do so. I have come home early do get something done (I will be posting about this later).

I have taken the time to do some video cutting....so here we are....



The first bird hatched at ca. 16:16. The mother was sitting in the neating box but not on the eggs as it was already quite hot. Suddenly she hears a noise and turns around to find a cracked egg...and moves closer to the eggs, helps the hatchling and then eats the egg shell....



The father visited only the morning after and began bringing in food for the little ones...

Leaving Nest With Egg Shell

The female eats some of the half-shells and carries the other out of the nest...



(click on image for an enlargement)

Hatched!!!! :-)))

Yesterday, Sunday May 23. 2010 at ca. 16:20 the first egg hatched....circa three hours later 2 more hatched, during the night 2 more...



now of the 11 eggs only 3 remain intact...



it is getting increasingly difficutl to do a head-count....the little bodies move but are all close to one another and only when the mother or father call with their special call with a little worm in their beaks do all beaks fly open....so far no sounds are discernible, but hopefully soon all 11 will be fit and hungry.

Mother and father are taking good care of the "babies"...it is really moving...





I will try to post a video...but it is really difficult to leave the garden....I am doing some active nesting box cooling due to the really high temperatures (ca. 30 degrees)...under the ages of 4 days, the newborn have no way of actively adjusting their own body temperature and both too hot or too cold must be avoided....

Feeding

The male Great Tit brings in food for the female while she broods. Yesterday he entered the nesting box with a nice little fat worm in his mouth to find that she was not there. With his beak still full of worm, he chirped calling her...he hopped around a bit chirping and then left the nest whilst chirping. He did not eat the worm.





Here some images from the motion detection system of a successful feeding which took place inside the nesting box...





I have noticed that sometimes a Great Tit chirps outside the box, and she suddenly replies excited and leaves the box only the reenter shortly after: I guess (seeing that I am not home to see what happens outside) that feeding also takes place outside of the box.

Counting the Days

I am counting the days impatiently!

Days and maths can drive you mad...I am serious...

Now: brooding started, according to my own calander, on the 11th of May. Apparently it takes 14 days for the eggs to hatch, right so that brings us to the 24th of May (11th is included). Unless of course the 11th was not so serious and it really did start on the 12th then the egs would hatch on the 25th, unless the night-time brooding does actually count...I mean, she does sleep on them and by doing so does keep them warn...so maybe they will hatch on the 24th.... you see?

At any rate, I hope they hatch on the 24th. It is a holiday here in Germany, and I do really want to be there and see it "live" through my camera. I am really quite excited.

At any rate... here a new picture and an "egg-rolling video"...I will try and do some video cutting soon...