The 2020 story of the great tit (nest #1) in Théding:

Installed in December 2019, a connected nest box, dedicated to the great tit, was installed in a maple tree in the garden, in Théding. Equipped with a mini-camera embedded in a false ceiling, plexiglass windows on 2 sides (providing sufficient natural light), it will allow usage later by a family of great charcoal 24/7, during the nesting period. . If you want to know more about the hardware installation, take a look behind the scenes (by clicking on the button below ")

Since the installation of the nest box in December 2019, a great tit has occupied this shelter to sleep there. It arrives at nightfall and leaves again in the morning, at sunrise.

The nest box is always occupied during the nights. Regular visits take place during the day. The nest box seems to please 2 couples ... At the end of this little video we can observe the battle of 2 individuals to acquire the nest box ...

A few first twigs on April 05, but the next day a lot of materials are brought in and the nest is built very quickly!

Apparently the 1st egg was laid on April 13th ; But impossible to confirm before April 15 when Madame Charbonnière presents us with her 3 eggs. The female started to hatch on April 18 with a count of 6 eggs, and finally, 2 days later (April 20) a 7th egg appeared!

The first 2 eggs hatched on May 1st. Then 3 chicks were born on May 2nd. It was only on May 4th that the last chick came out of its shell. The two parents are very complementary in feeding their offspring.

A meal that is too large seems to have been given to the youngest bird (2 days apart from its elders). By pulling on the stuck material , the adult takes the baby bird to "the balcony". The little one will eventually fall back into the moss, but without reaching the bowl to join the other chicks. Being separated from his siblings and despite his liveliness he will no longer be fed. Eventually he's going to die. Accident or parents' will?

A first cub died on May 16 and a second on May 18. The bodies were not evacuated and are still at the bottom of the nest ...

On May 19, a first cub died in the morning (the 4th in total) and a second one later (5th overall). And of the two remaining young, one is very weak and the only valiant one is no longer being fed much by the female: as we can see in this photo, the mother settles in the nest, as if she wanted to brood. The male does not return.

As the situation did not improve, we extracted the last two chicks. Rehydrated, they were put back near the nest box, high up, in a box. The female returns to feed them. Unfortunately, the next morning, the 2 chicks also died. The nest box has been completely emptied and disinfected to allow a possible new nest, without a corpse in the moss (which could cause disease).

On May 27, 2 new visits, and on May 28 in the morning a new nest is built! At nightfall, the great tit returns to the nest box to spend the night there. The 2nd brood begins ...

A second rather light brood: 4 eggs (laid from June 11 to 14). The brooding will last about 2 weeks.

On the morning of June 26, 3 small tits appeared ! The last waited until the evening of June 27.

The little ones grow up too quickly: on July 13, they have 17 days and are already carbon copies of the parents. A few more short days and they will be able to fly away!

The 4 small great tits have developed well, they are almost ready for flight. In this video, we can see that the balcony attracts them more and more. They test their wings while the parents keep the nest box always clean. (15/07)

Early in the morning, 21 days after hatching, the 4 small tits take off: 7:02 for the first and 30 minutes later for the last. From that moment, the parents did not return to the nesting box. Great success for this second nest! (17/06)

Kestrel, blue tit, great tit, redstart, pigeon and barn owl made the show in front of our cameras in 2020. Here is a recap of this year rich in emotions!

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