Summary of Events - 2004

The diary started this year on 19th January.

Date Box 1 Box 2
19 Jan A bird seen regularly visiting box  
20 Jan   Dead tree on which box affixed removed
24 Jan   Box remounted on neighbouring tree.  First visitor 6 minutes later!
29 Jan   We decide the female is Fluffy
1 Feb   Fluffy does a nesting wriggle
8 Feb   External camera mounted
9 Feb   Great Tit seen investigating
15 Feb   Great Tit back again
21 Feb We decide that this female is Fantail again!  
1 March Fantail starts bringing in moss and hay
Male named Neptune
 
2 March   One winged nesting wriggle
12 March First observed nesting wriggle  
17 March A stranger visits inside box  
20 March   Fluffy starts bringing in nesting material
1 April   Fluffy gets serious about nest building
3 April   Feathers brought into nest box
5 April   Nest more or less completed
7 April   Fluffy starts roosting overnight
16 April   FIRST EGG!
17 April   Egg 2
18 April Fantail roosts in her box for the first time Egg 3
19 April Fantail brings in first feathers late afternoon Egg 4
20 April   Egg 5
21 April Lots more feathers.  Nest now looks completed. Egg 6.  Fluffy starts spending some time on the eggs during the day.
22 April Stranger bluetit investigates nest box Egg 7
23 April Fantail disappears around 3pm Fluffy starts incubating
24 April Neptune persistently calls for Fantail who reappears about 7.30pm and roosts in box  
25 April No sign of Fantail who does not roost in box  
26 April Neptune removes all feathers in box!  At least one strange bird again views nest box. Fluffy still sitting on her eggs
28 April Still no sign of Fantail.  Neptune still around  
6 May Neptune still calling for Fantail! Fluffy's first six eggs hatch
7 May   Last chick hatched at 07.00hrs
11 May   First faint cheeping heard
12 May   Definite cheeping when parent comes with food
13 May   Down and primitive feathers growing - the chicks now look almost black
15 May   Eyes just starting to open.  Wings now show white markings.  Head band forming.
16 May   Great tit pays another visit
19 May   Several chicks out of nest cup - the heat?
Serious wing flapping starting.
22 May   Chicks by themselves over night for the first time
23 May   Frequent wing flapping.  Chick attempts to hop onto exit hole - falls off!
24 May   One chick may have fledged today
25 May   Three chicks flew between 7.30 & 8.40am
The last three flew within the space of 20 seconds just after half past one.

Summary for:-  2005   2003   2002   2001