At about 5.15am, the female leaves the box and keeps returning periodically with food, but the last two babies in the nestbowl are also dead. She picks up one of the bodies from the side of the nestbowl in her beak and flies off with it. At 7.00am she’s still returning with food but eats it herself, sitting and shuffling around in the nestbowl, then flying off with more bodies. The male also comes in with food. It seems to take them time to realise what has happened, their instincts must be very strong. Maybe the problem is lack of suitable food, maybe the parents are inexperienced. What we've seen here will probably be happening elsewhere.
. . . 2001 turns out to be a poor breeding season for blue-tits and other birds feeding on similar food.
5 chicks still alive but the female spends a lot of time keeping them warm and the male isn’t seen very often bringing food. Several babies die during the evening and at 21.15, the female removes the bodies from the nestbowl and places them on the nesting material at the side of the box.
8 chicks being fed by both parents.
Incubation Day 13. 8 of the 10 eggs hatched and the young are being fed by both parents.
Incubation Day 3. 6.30am 10 eggs visible.
Incubation Day 1. Female on eggs during the day.
10 eggs
9 eggs
8 eggs
6.15pm 7 uncovered eggs.
More feathers. Female in box overnight.
Switched camera on. Nesting material in the box but no nest bowl formed yet. Female bringing in feathers.