4 November 2009 - we have a Blue Tit in residence again.
In the spring of 2009 a pair of Blue Tits raised their brood in our webcam-equipped birdbox. The birds left in June 2009, and since then the box has been cleaned out and moved to a position where we hope it will be a bit more sheltered from the sun - we think it got a bit too hot in there last summer.
We've been checking the box every day for the last few weeks, and on the evening of 4 November a Blue Tit moved in. We have no idea whether it is the same bird as before, but we are hoping it stays around.
If previous experience is anything to go by, our guest will arrive at the box at sunset each day and stay till dawn. The picture above will be updated every half-hour (refresh this page to see the latest image), so you can see whether there is anyone home. If not, you can click here to see a collection of webcam images taken from the arrival of the first Blue Tit in January 2009 up to 1st June when the chicks flew.
After spending every night in the box over the winter, on the evening of 2 March 2010 our Blue Tit failed to appear. Whether the bird has moved elsewhere or come to a sad end we'll never know, but there is a month to go before the nesting season so we're hoping there's time for another tenant to move in.