Right Moves 3 or
Box Clever or
Relocation, Relocation, Relocation

This is the last post (maybe appropriate) on this subject' as I am sure you will be pleased to hear.

First off, well done the brave souls who crossed the Bridge of (Small)Size, to relocate the now infamous new nest box onto the originally intended tree, to replace the condemned, pre-war, prefab.

I can report that interest has once again been expressed by a prospective purchaser and the new siting does not seem to have diminished the desirability of this bijou residence.

New Site - Same Interest

Unfortunately, I can also report, that our local nutter Blue Tit has not been phased by the new box site and is continuing to badger birds (sounds like a kind of magpie) around the feeding stations.

The "Mallow" Tit(s) appear extremely nervous - I saw a couple of fleeting attempts to feed by one bird today - and a well known local character (bless him) tells me he failed to see one "Mal-Oh!" on his morning vigil.

Nervous of HESC

Lets hope it's a passing phase, my affection for the "Mallows" is almost as deep as for the furry residents of the Woodpile and I will be sorry if they move on (or pass on if the BT has his way).

Banknote

On a literally brighter note, the newly renovated Butterfly Bank seems to be having the right effect and following a great team effort the other Sunday (when I believe a couple of Brimstones and a comma turned up to inspect our work), I found a Peacock on the Bank basking in the early Spring sunshine.

Meanwhile, a moorhen reflects on it's world.

For new visitors to this site please note you can click on the photos to see a larger version.

All photographs taken by and © Tony Bedford

Right Moves? (Part 2) or
The Rumble in the Jungle or
Location, Location, Location

Today I have witnessed a sight of such terrible and disgraceful violence, that it would make even the most badly behaved prize fighters blush.

To use the Humble vernacular (bless her), I saw the a-s-t-o-n-i-s-h-i-n-g site of a Blue Tit and Marsh/Willow Tit engaged, in what I was convinced at the time, was a fight to the death.

The combatants:  

Terry (The Willow) Marsh

The Blue Bomber


Like most I was aware of the feisty reputation of the Robin during the breeding season and knew that male Robins can sometimes fight to the death over territory and breeding rights. What I was not aware of, is that the fluffy little ball of joy that is the Blue Tit, can turn into an equally aggressive assailant, attacking anything it perceives, has entered the area it has claimed around it's potential new nest.

The Rumble

At this stage I really thought one of them was going to be killed and moved to break it up

In the pictures it may look as if the Marsh/Willow Tit is having the best of it - I assure you it was fighting for it's life - to the extent I put the camera down with the intention of separating the two combatants fearing one or other was about to be killed. The Blue Tit, once the fight had broken up, continue to dive upon and harry, any bird that it regarded as trespassing (mainly the Great Tits).

And here, dear reader, we have the the crux of the problem, in the previous post you will have seen a Blue Tit giving the once over to a brand new nest site i.e the new nest box. Unfortunately this new box is located within 4 or 5 metres of the feeding stations, which at the moment suggests, that any birds coming in to feed, are potential targets for our hit man. The outcome will probably be a lot of blood and feathers around the feeding table or the Blue Tits will get fed up with all the aggro and abandon the box.

My view, is that we need to move the nest box further away from the feeding stations immediately, but would love advice - has anyone else encountered this e-x-t-r-a-o-r-d-i-n-a-r-y (sorry just slipped into the Humble again) violence from Blue Tits before, or do we just have a nutcase (as it were)?

All photographs taken by and © Tony Bedford

Right Moves?

Last Sunday thanks to a kind donation from Will (sorry second name not known), the friends group at the local nature reserve, erected a new nesting box, complete with what we calculated was the perfectly sized, squirrel proof, entrance hole for a blue tit.

Soon the first prospective tenant arrived to check-out this desirable new family apartment.

Like all sensible new home owners, it was decided to carry out a thorough survey.

The surrounding neighbourhood was checked.

Then an internal inspection was arranged - some concern was expressed on how the piano could be installed!

Then even more concern was expressed on how a certain Mrs B Tit was going to exit the premises!

Phew - made it - I think we're going to need to borrow a file.

Jurassic Park?

Spring is in the air and the local pterodactyls are preparing the nursery.


Right, so where's this fellow off to?

Ah Ha! Gone to fetch some nesting material then.

Could take some time, all this searching for just the right sized pieces of stick.



Or maybe we just build on a more ambitious scale?

Meanwhile, the more genteel members of the community are house building in the suburbs with a little more decorum

Question of the day - do Grey Squirrels have fat balls?

Answer - Not any more, as you can see they've eaten them all!



All photographs taken by and © Tony Bedford