Camera in blue tit box - any experts out there?

[Birker2020]

Mum and Dad bought a camera bird box from Aldi a few weeks ago. It has a camera built in to the top of it inside the box and a microphone. We have it plugged in via a wire that travels down from the bird box to our portable colour TV in the kitchen and we often have it switched to the channel in the morning so that we can monitor any activity. About two weeks ago we started getting a blue tit in the box. She or he (we are not sure which) would peck away like mad at the opening hole of the box and then go in the box stare at all the corners and then lie on its belly with its legs akimbo and flutter its wings. Again the ritual pecking would continue at the hole again, before it flew off. Yesterday it started building its nest and watching it this morning it is still doing the ritual pecking at the hole on entry and exit of the box and lying on its stomach fluttering its wings like mad. There are a few twigs and moss in the nest at the moment - I am going to try and bring some horse hair and hay home tonight if I remember and leave it somewhere for it if it wants to use it.


Our theory is that it is testing the strength of the floor and the hole? Another theory we came up with is that it is trying to get its mate to help but we are not sure if its the same bird we see everytime or the mum one minute and the dad the next!

Anyone know why it does this scratching around and pecking at the hole?

 

[Joyous70]

Apparantly the pecking around the hole of the box, is to mark it as their territory, the female will peck inside the box, and check that she is happy it is safe and secure enough for her to nest in - This is what ive read on RSPB webistes and the like

Im gutted though, our birds had been making their nest, took all of the horse hair i'd left for them, and we haven't seen them at all this week, so we think they may have gone elsewhere

Have fun watching them, we saw the Aldi camera's but couldn't afford one

 

[Birker2020]

Apparantly the pecking around the hole of the box, is to mark it as their territory, the female will peck inside the box, and check that she is happy it is safe and secure enough for her to nest in - This is what ive read on RSPB webistes and the like

Im gutted though, our birds had been making their nest, took all of the horse hair i'd left for them, and we haven't seen them at all this week, so we think they may have gone elsewhere

Have fun watching them, we saw the Aldi camera's but couldn't afford one

Hey thanks for that Joyous 70. Yes I think it cost around £35 but Mum and Dad are always watching Spring Time and the like so I can understand why they thought they'd like one, and it is really interesting. Apparently according to a website I've just read a lot of tits will take horse hair but it is not favoured with blue tits for some reason

 

[Joyous70]

Crows like horse hair too - i watched my old boy roll in the field, and when i turned round the crows were collecting it all up Think the birds know more than us about recycling eh?

Enjoy watching your birds - maybe next year we will get a camera i think its lovely to watch them