Lots of activity over the last few days, although this evening the box is still completely empty of nesting material. It was much warmer today (as high as 10 degrees C!), and at a mid morning check we saw plenty of material.
However, immediately after (and just like every other day), over the next hour every scrap of moss was removed. Here is the action with the dull bits edited out and speeded up to crack through an hour in three and a half minutes...
But better news a) they are still interested (that drumming action is either a wannabe woodpecker or serious prospecting), b) they aren't taking the material anywhere else, just dropping it outside the box, and c) I have found this blog which describes very similar behaviour last year.
Nature Watch 2012
The entry for 9th April shows material being taken out and by 12th proper building was in progress. Although the blog stops abruptly after Dad had stopped showing up, they at least got to the hatching stage.
And finally, we are still providing overnight accommodation for the eighth night in a row. Slightly later tonight, settling down about 19:20. Here's some more rapid play footage (guess what I learned on iMovie today).
However, immediately after (and just like every other day), over the next hour every scrap of moss was removed. Here is the action with the dull bits edited out and speeded up to crack through an hour in three and a half minutes...
But better news a) they are still interested (that drumming action is either a wannabe woodpecker or serious prospecting), b) they aren't taking the material anywhere else, just dropping it outside the box, and c) I have found this blog which describes very similar behaviour last year.
Nature Watch 2012
The entry for 9th April shows material being taken out and by 12th proper building was in progress. Although the blog stops abruptly after Dad had stopped showing up, they at least got to the hatching stage.
And finally, we are still providing overnight accommodation for the eighth night in a row. Slightly later tonight, settling down about 19:20. Here's some more rapid play footage (guess what I learned on iMovie today).
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