A little confusing, this. Firstly note how I've hoovered most of the wood shavings from inside the box - I just don't buy that advice (give your birds some wood shavings for warmth) from the RSPB.
Secondly, note how our male (at least I assume its our male, and our original male at that) has got a lot scrappier around the face, like Brittany. Maybe even worse than Brittany? Are we going to have TWO "Scargill" Blue Tits this year?
The footage (taken about 30 minutes ago) show no real new behaviour. The male sat on top of the box and called the female. As soon as he was sure she was coming, he hopped inside the box, she entered shortly afterwards and hissed him out of there. He took a little more persuading this time to leave, but leave, of course, he did.
This footage can also be seen on my youtube channel, and temporarily at the top of BG, as the latest nestbox footage clip (from my youtube channel).
NB. I've watched this a few times now, and still it confuses me. The second bird looks considerably bigger than the first and more "male" (bolder cap etc... although that is very hard to tell). The first bird does look like our female. Two possibilities - our male has become very scrappy and smaller than his mate - possible. OR - the first bird in the box this time was a different, smaller, scrappier male, chased out by our original male - though I doubt this, and prefer the first option.
Whilst I'm here, I've had a nice hat trick this morning. The Chiffchaff visiting just under the window (never still - never got a photo), the female Woodpecker briefly on the Lime, and the rat on the compost heap. I managed to get a video each of the rat and the woodpecker, but both filmed from inside, at distance, so filed with me, and I won't be uploading them to BG or youtube...
mmm
ddd
NB. 5pm. I've had a much better look at our male Blue Tit this afternoon. He IS looking a little scrappy - 2 dark smudges on each cheek for starters. So that answers that question then...
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