The 2021 story of the great tit (nest #2) in Ostwald:

The side windows (striped plexiglass) originally made for this aviary have been closed. In fact, chickadees prefer to nest in the dark, knowing that no predator larger than themselves can enter. Also, with a low-light sensor camera, only a little light is needed to get quality images. The nest box seems to be more attractive, great tits and blue tits often visit the nest box.

The inner camera has been replaced with a sharper and more compact camera. It has a (manual) zoom which is adjusted before the nesting period. The camera used last year is kept to film the balcony and the entrance to the nest box. To learn more about this birdhouse and the technique, go behind the scenes by clicking the button below.

Live was launched on March 1st and on March 2nd, Madame Charbonniere started building the nest at high speed! In this video, you can see the first day of construction in an accelerated way.

If you have a good mattress, you must take advantage of it to spend your nights in the nest box. From March 6, Madame Charbonnière sleeps there.

It was quick, a lot of foam was brought in, and finishing materials laid down carefully. (12/03)

The nest had been ready for a long time, but the start of laying was long overdue: the first egg appeared timidly in the morning of April 3. The female quickly hid it under the materials.

Here is the rest of the laying dates: 2nd on 04/04, 3rd on 05/04, 4th, 06/04, 5th on 07/04, 6th, 08/04, break on 09/04 and a 7th on 10 /04. With a start of incubation on April 10 in the afternoon.

This video shows one of the most beautiful births of the season. The chick pierces the shell, then is helped by the female who gently removes it. 5 eggs hatched on April 23rd, a 6th baby was born on April 24th. One egg was not viable.

On May 3rd they celebrate their 10th day. The little ones spend a lot of time at the bottom of the bowl, in the shade. Not easy to see. Natural evening light is better for a brighter photo of the chicks.

May 07, two weeks ago they were born. From time to time they come out of the bowl, but not too much. The 6 babies are doing well.

May 09, 16th day, they explore the surroundings of their basin. Courageous, but not too much, they return quickly.

One of the parents arrives at the nest box with a beautiful and large spider. It is offered to one of the young, but he does not accept it. He leaves with it and returns immediately, this time swallowing it. At the end of the video, a fecal sac is evacuated by the adult. (12/05)

Bad day on May 11th in Ostwald for 2 chicks. They died at the age of 18 days. But why? Weather too bad? Too cold? Not enough food? Indigestion? Malformation? We don't know.

Aged 21 days on May 14, the 4 young leave the nest box. At the end of this video, see photos of the parents and one of the cubs outside the nest box.

It's not yet winter, not even fall, and yet a tit has been returning to the nest box to spend the night since mid-July. And she is actively defending her place! (22/07)