The Blue Tit Nest Box Cam of Loughborough, UK.
January 5, 2022 12:36 PM Subscribe
The blue tits make a family, over ~80 days. (tw: baby birds die a natural death, non-violently.)
From empty nest to first egg in less than 8 minutes.
First egg hatching to chicks in 23 minutes. Here is the same thing in 21 minutes, without the upsetting parts.
Want to see all the details, every day? More inside!
Where's the realtor? Someone is shopping for real estate.
Will anyone move in? (Empty box only)
March 9: Starting to build the nest.
March 10: A bit harder to do in the rain.
March 11: Interior decorating requires so many decisions.
March 12: They're in no rush.
March 13: This is tiring.
March 14: We need to be a team here.
March 15: More than 50 visits to the box.
March 16: We're actually making progress!
March 17: The busiest day so far.
March 18: A bit manic in the redecoration.
March 19: Calmer, but one has to work day and night.
March 20: They're settling into a routine.
March 21: Dad, you're not helping. Get out.
March 22: Working steadily.
March 23: Time to start forming the nesting cup.
March 24: Some domestic squabbling.
March 25: What's this camera thing?
March 26: Time to start bringing in the wool.
March 27: The woman doing most of the work ...
March 28: The nest is really taking shape. Only one quick eviction of the male.
March 29: Another manic day. Everything must be perfect!
March 30: She kicked him out four times.
March 31: The removing of stuff and bringing in new stuff continues.
Bonus March 31: More squabbling, and some yelling.
April 1: Ok, fine, let's work together.
April 2: More fluff is needed.
April 3: She's gotta get ready for the big event.
April 4: Look honey, I'm pregnant. Deal with it.
April 5: More fluff, more fussing.
April 6: Blue fluff?
April 7: Where'd she go?
April 8: More fluff, more squabbling.
April 9: Don't I get recognized for trying to help?
April 10: Gotta make the nest nice and cozy.
April 11: Orange fluff.
April 12: More fine tuning, more squabbling.
April 13: Getting along much better now.
April 14: She spends the night in the box for the first time.
April 15: Bedding down for the night.
April 16: Some feathers, some fluff, lots of preparation.
April 17: Waking up in the morning. Is he getting better at feeding her?
April 18: Another busy day, getting ready.
April 19: Let's get it on, honey. (Not seen in box)
April 20: I love you, here's some lunch.
April 21: Was it good for you?
April 22: More bonking.
April 23: FIRST EGG!
April 24: Another egg.
April 25: Another egg. Dad is holding up his end of the bargain, even seems impressed.
April 26: Another egg.
April 27: Another egg.
April 28: Another egg. The lady starts to incubate. There may have been more eggs hatched, but we haven't seen them.
April 29: More incubation.
April 30: He made 25 trips to feed his beloved.
May 1: More incubation, more feeding.
May 2: He brought her a nice bright green caterpillar.
May 3: Neither rain nor snow shall stop him.
May 4: Halfway through the incubation period!
May 5: A clear view of the eggs.
May 6: Less than a week to go! Here are some delicious insects for you, my love.
May 7: I love you too, honey, but I think I'll save this worm for later.
May 8: More incubation. Mangia, mangia!
May 9: First egg hatched! She's eating the shells.
May 10: Up to four eggs hatched!
May 11: Seven eggs?
May 12: A grand total of eight!
May 13: The first upsetting discovery.
May 14: Woops, this is too big, I gotta eat some of it first.
May 15: Magpie attack thwarted!
May 16: Look honey, you can't stay here all the time now.
May 17: Don't you love the way the babies stick their asses in the air?
May 18: Hey, I got wings now!
May 19: More intruders.
May 20: As they get bigger, she's gotta make the nest bigger.
May 21: She stress-ate the caterpillar.
May 22: A cat is unsuccessful.
May 23: Recording failure.
May 24: Yummy caterpillars. Their wings beat like drums.
May 25: A sad day.
May 26: They're growing, and yelling. A starling peeks in.
May 27: Recording failure.
May 28: Lots to see today! Three starling incidents, much wing flapping, a frankly enormous caterpillar which went down in one and a lot of outside of the nesting cup hanging out type stuff.
May 29: FLEDGING!! Short version, extended version.
Still can't get enough? Here's a live cam. She currently roosts during the night, is not there during the day.
I hope I got the links right; if there's a stray one that doesn't work, they're all there in the poster's playlist.
From empty nest to first egg in less than 8 minutes.
First egg hatching to chicks in 23 minutes. Here is the same thing in 21 minutes, without the upsetting parts.
Want to see all the details, every day? More inside!
Where's the realtor? Someone is shopping for real estate.
Will anyone move in? (Empty box only)
March 9: Starting to build the nest.
March 10: A bit harder to do in the rain.
March 11: Interior decorating requires so many decisions.
March 12: They're in no rush.
March 13: This is tiring.
March 14: We need to be a team here.
March 15: More than 50 visits to the box.
March 16: We're actually making progress!
March 17: The busiest day so far.
March 18: A bit manic in the redecoration.
March 19: Calmer, but one has to work day and night.
March 20: They're settling into a routine.
March 21: Dad, you're not helping. Get out.
March 22: Working steadily.
March 23: Time to start forming the nesting cup.
March 24: Some domestic squabbling.
March 25: What's this camera thing?
March 26: Time to start bringing in the wool.
March 27: The woman doing most of the work ...
March 28: The nest is really taking shape. Only one quick eviction of the male.
March 29: Another manic day. Everything must be perfect!
March 30: She kicked him out four times.
March 31: The removing of stuff and bringing in new stuff continues.
Bonus March 31: More squabbling, and some yelling.
April 1: Ok, fine, let's work together.
April 2: More fluff is needed.
April 3: She's gotta get ready for the big event.
April 4: Look honey, I'm pregnant. Deal with it.
April 5: More fluff, more fussing.
April 6: Blue fluff?
April 7: Where'd she go?
April 8: More fluff, more squabbling.
April 9: Don't I get recognized for trying to help?
April 10: Gotta make the nest nice and cozy.
April 11: Orange fluff.
April 12: More fine tuning, more squabbling.
April 13: Getting along much better now.
April 14: She spends the night in the box for the first time.
April 15: Bedding down for the night.
April 16: Some feathers, some fluff, lots of preparation.
April 17: Waking up in the morning. Is he getting better at feeding her?
April 18: Another busy day, getting ready.
April 19: Let's get it on, honey. (Not seen in box)
April 20: I love you, here's some lunch.
April 21: Was it good for you?
April 22: More bonking.
April 23: FIRST EGG!
April 24: Another egg.
April 25: Another egg. Dad is holding up his end of the bargain, even seems impressed.
April 26: Another egg.
April 27: Another egg.
April 28: Another egg. The lady starts to incubate. There may have been more eggs hatched, but we haven't seen them.
April 29: More incubation.
April 30: He made 25 trips to feed his beloved.
May 1: More incubation, more feeding.
May 2: He brought her a nice bright green caterpillar.
May 3: Neither rain nor snow shall stop him.
May 4: Halfway through the incubation period!
May 5: A clear view of the eggs.
May 6: Less than a week to go! Here are some delicious insects for you, my love.
May 7: I love you too, honey, but I think I'll save this worm for later.
May 8: More incubation. Mangia, mangia!
May 9: First egg hatched! She's eating the shells.
May 10: Up to four eggs hatched!
May 11: Seven eggs?
May 12: A grand total of eight!
May 13: The first upsetting discovery.
May 14: Woops, this is too big, I gotta eat some of it first.
May 15: Magpie attack thwarted!
May 16: Look honey, you can't stay here all the time now.
May 17: Don't you love the way the babies stick their asses in the air?
May 18: Hey, I got wings now!
May 19: More intruders.
May 20: As they get bigger, she's gotta make the nest bigger.
May 21: She stress-ate the caterpillar.
May 22: A cat is unsuccessful.
May 23: Recording failure.
May 24: Yummy caterpillars. Their wings beat like drums.
May 25: A sad day.
May 26: They're growing, and yelling. A starling peeks in.
May 27: Recording failure.
May 28: Lots to see today! Three starling incidents, much wing flapping, a frankly enormous caterpillar which went down in one and a lot of outside of the nesting cup hanging out type stuff.
May 29: FLEDGING!! Short version, extended version.
Still can't get enough? Here's a live cam. She currently roosts during the night, is not there during the day.
I hope I got the links right; if there's a stray one that doesn't work, they're all there in the poster's playlist.
Tiny birbs!
Speaking of UK birds, let me take this opportunity to once again plug the University of Sheffield's peregrine webcam (for which I'm partly responsible). There's nothing going on right now, but they start showing back up in the box around January, and then from around March they start breeding--there were two fledglings last year.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 3:16 PM on January 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
Speaking of UK birds, let me take this opportunity to once again plug the University of Sheffield's peregrine webcam (for which I'm partly responsible). There's nothing going on right now, but they start showing back up in the box around January, and then from around March they start breeding--there were two fledglings last year.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 3:16 PM on January 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
Ooh, this is so great, thanks for taking the time to post all these videos.
Happy National Bird Day to all who celebrate! (link is to a collection of bird images and educational resources from the Florida Center of Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida)
posted by the primroses were over at 3:44 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Happy National Bird Day to all who celebrate! (link is to a collection of bird images and educational resources from the Florida Center of Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida)
posted by the primroses were over at 3:44 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
When I watched the first video last fall, the nesting box perspective was really confusing. Oh, it's slanted box, made for video, with a skylight and an extended side to house the camera at a good angle.
posted by jjj606 at 3:49 PM on January 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by jjj606 at 3:49 PM on January 5, 2022 [4 favorites]
Your average tit weighs half an ounce
That's if you feed them well
But she's got ways to make tits bouncy baby boys from hell
She majored in biology
She knows whereof she speaks
You know her tits are happy from their smiling little beaks
posted by verstegan at 4:01 AM on January 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
That's if you feed them well
But she's got ways to make tits bouncy baby boys from hell
She majored in biology
She knows whereof she speaks
You know her tits are happy from their smiling little beaks
posted by verstegan at 4:01 AM on January 6, 2022 [2 favorites]
I guess you have to make tiny doors for tiny bird houses. Unless you want invaders.
posted by Oyéah at 1:53 PM on January 6, 2022
posted by Oyéah at 1:53 PM on January 6, 2022
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Luff-brah. It's pronounced Luff-brah.
posted by djseafood at 2:45 PM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]