Today was a bit brighter and two bluetits seemed to be playing around in and on box 1. What happens is not obvious even though we have both an inside and an outside camera watching the events! However, after extensive examination of these pictures, this is what I think happened.
It
all started soon after 10 o'clock. First, a bluetit approached the box
and hopped onto the entrance hole for a good look in.
He,
and if the commonly accepted theories are correct, it is a male bird, then
seemed to be having a good look behind him. From what follows, we
presume this was to ensure that his partner was around to follow him.
Apparently
satisfied by what he saw, he entered the box.
You can see from the time stamp on each of the two earlier pictures that this wasn't a rushed business. It is well over half a minute since he first landed on the box's entrance hole.
Once
inside, he has a good look round. He doesn't stay long though.
Five
seconds after he first entered the box, he is off - only to nearly collide
with his partner who has come to see what is going on.
She just manages to cling onto the entrance hole as he whizzes past!
Just
under three minutes later, the male is back, and is again checking that his
partner is at hand.
At
10.10.02 he has entered the box again.
This
is now the female coming to join him.
At
10.10.05, he is still inside the box but by this time the female has gone..
So
he
then goes back to the entrance to see what has become of her.
After
a short while - about 15 seconds - he gives up waiting and leaves the nest
box.