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Nest box wars

purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
in Wildlife gardening
I have just seen a Wren and a Blue Tit fighting over a nest box. Very vicious. The Wren has used it, but never nested in it, for two years. After the fight the blue tit checked it again, but didn't go in. I hope someone uses it this year.
P.s. both Tit and Wren were ok after fight.

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906
    Wrens will use nest boxes to sleep in over night. I once counted 12 coming out of one of my boxes. They build lovely little mossy nests in sheltered spots - often in ivy. Two years running now wrens have built nests in my shed - the door doesn't quite fit so they can squeeze in through the tiniest of gaps at the top of the door. It is quite amusing to hear the very loud calls of the youngsters when they want feeding. I do try not to disturb them at nesting times but nothing seems to put them off.
    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I wish.
  • paulleaman66paulleaman66 Posts: 6
    I had a similar issue last year with a great tit and a blue tit.  However the great tit won in this instance. I had a camera in the box and watched for a couple of weeks and all I could see was this great tit roosting in it over night then i saw him during the day nipping across the garden and go into the other box on the garage wall and all day long he would fly between the box and the nearby tree.  eventually we found out that his other half was in there with about 6 young ones unfortunately they choose the wrong box to nest in as the camera was in the other box where he was roosting.  
    thinking about a few more cameras this year to see what happens.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    It's taken a week but today saw the Wren going in and out, sitting outside singing away, and generally saying look at me and this lovely nest site!
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