http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest Intimate look into the nest of a Great Tit Sun, 10 Jun 2007 22:42:32 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en After nearly 2 months of brooding, the female has given up. The young should have hatched about 13 days after the start of brooding, so she has gone on in vain for over 6 weeks. The instincts are primitive, if there are eggs, brood, if there are young, feed. She ... http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=34 It gets hot again (20-25 degrees C), unfortunately. The female can't stay on the nest too long during the day, it is just too hot. The eggs should have hatched around the 26th of April, but they haven't. The female still broods, but eyes the eggs suspiciously; she probably feels ... http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=33 It gets less hot, and the female can brood normally; she hardly leaves the nest. The male drops in occasionally, maybe once or twice a day to bring a morsel of food. http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=32 Fortunately, it is less hot today. In the morning, the male comes in and offers the female a snack in the form of a caterpillar. She broods on contently. It is only a symbolic gesture though, he does not repeat it this day... http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=31 The temperatures these 2 days are very high for spring in the Netherlands. Normal brooding isn't possible during the day, the female comes in frequently, spreads the feathers on her tail and wings to provide shadow for the eggs (although they are not in direct sunlight). She can't keep up ... http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=30 My prediction 2 days earlier was not correct, the eighth egg is the last. Brooding has started in earnest; however, it gets unusually hot outside (for the time of the year) and the female leaves the nest more than normal because it gets too hot inside the nestbox. ... http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=28 One more egg, and in the afternoon it looks like the female is starting to brood the eggs, but it only lasts a few minutes, and then she leaves again. This is repeated a few times, no real brooding. However, it is unusally warm today so maybe she thinks ... http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=26 Yes, the egg-laying continues, at least 3 more to come. http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=25 At dawn when the female is still asleep, the male calls out and the female just has to respond, even though she tries to sleep with her head under her wings. This goes on for at least 10 minutes. A few minutes later, she lays her fifth egg, and after ... http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=23 Same pattern as yesterday, the egg is laid a few minutes before she wakes up for real and leaves the nest. In the morning frequent visits, none in the afternoon. http://www.dutchnature.com/parusnest/?p=21