BLUE TITS

[Carol]

 
I am extremely upset tonight.   When I returned from a lovely walk this afternoon, I found a pile of feathers underneath the blue tit nest box.  shock horror!!!  My little blue tits have been so so busy feeding their young the past 2 weeks and the sparrowhawk seems to have had a feed on one of the birds, or so I think.
The feathers left don't really look like a blue tits but will have to just wait and see.  I have kept watch and all I see is one blue tit feeding.  Poor thing will never cope.  This morning the blue tits were in and out of the box at least 2 times a minute.  One Blue Tit cannot keep up that pace.  I know the sparrowhawk has to feed but I will say it again,  NIMBY.

 

[Chaz Hunter]

Sorry to hear of your blue tit loss Carol, it was probably a sitting target for the sparrowhawk, as tits usually feed their young from the outside of the nest box. Nature has to take its course, seems cruel to us but thats the way the food chain works, I saw a young thrush fly straight into the glass on a bus shelter yesterday, I checked it but its neck was broken; its very sad.
The biggest killer of birds in this country is the domestic cat, responsible for between 2-4 million bird deaths a year...now that is one creature that needs to be potty trained, I believe that as my garden is the only one thats been cultivated in the area, I've created the largest cat toilet in Staffordshire (hate the filthy animals) one neighbour had a go at me for stoning her cat so I threatened to take my dog round to crap on her garden to see how she liked it!
Is there no way you can help the blue tit Carol, put a bowl of mealworms near the nest box?

[Doris_Pinks]

Was talking to my Mum today about Blue Tits, and she was saying a friend of hers has them nesting in her box, apparently 2 Magpies are watching the box, and occasionally stick their heads through the hole. It is amazing that the poor birds haven't died of heart attacks, instead they will probably end up as Magpie food. Farmers around here used to shoot them, (Magpies) There has been an alarming increase in them in these parts according to them.

[Carol]

That is something we don't have around here Doris, Magpies, lucky I suppose.  They are handsome birds but don't really want them for the reason you give.  
Just been to look out at the Blue tit box area and the one Tit has stopped for the night.  Poor thing is running ragged trying to feed the young.  I think the fledglings may be getting ready to leave the nest, so fingers crossed.

[Joolieeee]

our neighbours have put sticks of holly above their box which I presume deters some predators (we hope)

[Tenuse]

I have read that weasels will sometimes climb into a blue tit nest, eat all the eggs (before hatching presumably) and then have to stay in the nest for a few days  before they slim down enough to crawl back out again!!

Bad weasels!

But cats are worse - we came home last month to a pile of great tit feathers - most likely culprit is a cat. If only people would put bells round their necks it would solve a lot of problems.

Ten x

[Toots]

We also have a garden full of birds.I watch from the kitchen,it is a real pleasure,makes cooking a treat.We have a wide variety,including my favs long tailed tits and tree creeper.

However we also have 3 cats!

I put all the feeders up high and they can't get the bird table either.I feed lots of birds including pheasants on the ground,well away from any cat's cover.

Over the years we have been here with regular feeding,planting bird shrubs etc, the bird population has really risen by leaps and bounds.

The cats do take a few but they are well fed and don't make any real impression,natural selection.More damage is done by the squirrels,maggies and spawks.The pheasants and magpies sneer at them!

I know people don't have to like cats,but be fair,they are only being true to their natures,and are not,unlike us,gifted with insight and awareness of moral judgement.Even with this humans can be many more times deadly and sadistic than cats.

Can I suggest getting a high powered water pistol to deter cats rather than throwing stones.I suspect you only throw stones to frighten off cats,fair enough, but it wouldn't be the first time a cat has been badly injured ,ask any vet or RSPCA.The water pistol is also more effective,and I suspect,more fun!

[Gardengirl]

Without going into too much detail, I would like to echo what Toots has said.  As well as my two dogs I also have two cats who do have bells on their collars - but despite this, although they are pretty good most of the time (just sit and watch the birds) I am afraid the occasional bird does get caught.  We have many birds visiting our feeders and I like to think I am doing my bit to preserve the bird population, but as Toots says you can't stop the cats 'doing what comes naturally'.

[Toots]

Hi Patricia,thank you for your comments.I feel like you,demonising cats gets us nowhere.

If you look at stats,unsustainable farming practices,indiscriminate crop and field spraying and loss of habitat due to building or man's activities is far and away a greater and more permanent killer and potential extinction risk,in addition to disease than any "evil" moggy.

Mankind is birdlife's greatest predator,eg.corncrakes shot in droves as they fly from Egypt to the Hebrides.Birdlife is not just the lucky few in our gardens.

Lets all be proud of what we do though,it makes for small areas of sanctuary for many birds.

[Carol]

Keep your fingers crossed folks, the remaining blue tit is still feeding the young and I can hear them.  I read a piece written by the RSPB saying that if the female tit gets killed the male will abandon the young, but if the female is left she will continue to feed and I am sure my remaining bird is the female, so there is hope.  
I have enquired locally about meal worms and cannot get them.
 

[Gardengirl]

Hi Carol,

If you want to feed live food to your birds CJ Wildbird Food have a good selection, also dried and live mealworms.  You can order on www.birdfood.co.uk    I get all my wild birdfood from them, they are very reliable.

Great to hear that the female remains to tend to the babies.  Keep us informed of their progress.

[Carol]

Hi Pat
Thanks for the advice and telling me about CJWildbirdfood.   I am due to send them an order but as they take quite some time nowadays to send out their orders I thought I would try locally.  I think we will just keep the fingers crossed.

[Carol]

Thought you would like to hear that the blue tits popped out of their nesting box this morning.  They are now all over my garden.  I was delighted that the mothers efforts were not in vain.  What a little trojan she has been.  She is now trying to find them in the garden with peeps coming from all directions.

I ordered the meal worms and they turned up this morning.  I now seem to be feeding mistle thrushes.  They are really enjoying them on our bird table and managing to shove off the starlings.  

[Gardengirl]

That's great news Carol - all that little female's efforts have been rewarded  I put a nesting box up this year  but I don't think it has been used yet.  Maybe next year with a bit of luck.  Trouble is we have so many trees on our property, the birds probably have enough nesting space.

[Yellow Petals]

Lovely news, Carol.  I'm so glad it had a happy ending.  

We've never been fortunate enough to see the baby blue tits leave our nest box.  Each time they are singing and poking their heads out but always die before it's time to leave.  My husband and I are always puzzled as to why?    We don't feed them anything, as I know it's dangerous to leave anything out which the adults may pass to the babies, and we don't spray our plants with anything which might harm them through insects.  

We gave up last year and took down our nesting box because we just didn't want to see it happen again.

Samantha

[gavin]

I'd forgotten about this until it was too late - http://www.mybitoftheplanet.com/ - click on "The Webcam".

Caught his webcam AFTER the nest emptied - but (next year) it will be magical again, I hope!

All best - Gavin

[Carol]

I have had the nest box up about 8 years I think and only had occupants 3 times.  Twice they were successful in rearing young and once it was abandoned leaving dead fledglings.  I can only guess it was a dead parent again from the sparrowhawk who does visit my garden every day.  I have no cats near me so cannot blame them.

I now have a swallow nesting in the corner of my garage/sitting room wall, 3ft from me at the moment.  This nest was made 3 years ago and successfully reared about 8 swallows.  Last year, they patched it up but just used it to sit in now and then.  Thursday this week, she has taken up residence so I am looking forward to seeing the little swallow faces in a few weeks time.  It was a delight watching them.  I used to sit in my car with my bins. and watch them.  I was so worried about them when they left the nest but one by one they flew away, only to land in a nearby tree and then they came back onto my roof again.  The wonders of nature, I never tire of watching.

[eileen]

I watched the Great tit family on this web site Gavin right from the minute they hatched until they left the nest.
I certainly hope David can manage to do the same again next year as it was absolutely wonderful to watch the chicks development and to read his reports on them all. Scarey moment though when a cat dipped his paw into the nestbox hole, thankfully it didn't get to the chicks.


Eileen.

[Toots]

We have blue tits nesting in the eaves.No sign of any babies outside yet.

Our starlings seem fledged and away.They were under the eaves on the gable beside the back door.They nest every year and we can hear them inside the house,noisy wee bizzoms!

Bird table and feeders quiet now after the frenzy pre-nesting.Male pheasants still around and saw 2 babies following their mum a few days ago.Amazing wee things,legs whirling away,when they saw me,as I was putting out food.The adults are pretty well used to me and tell me off if I hang around too long,in their reproachful churring call.
Toots

[Mrs Ava]

Oh YP, so sad!    Why would that happen I wonder....
We have a new nesting box in our garden and altho the blue tits went in and out lots, they never did build a nest, so fingers crossed next year.  I don't generally encourage birds to nest in our garden due to the huge cat population but I know the kids would be so excited if they did.