Mrs GT is sitting on five eggs

 We didn’t see any eggs until the 19th. April because she covered them every time she left the nest. She laid five over the course of a week, and on the couple of days after we first saw them she was out of the nest for quite long periods of time. She has gradually been sitting for longer, going out less and now the eggs are never covered when she leaves.

While she sits she is sometimes very low in the nest, fluffed up, head under her wing or in her back feathers, apparently sleeping. Sometimes she sits a bit higher and pecks and pulls the nest material around her, and jiggles the eggs around underneath herself.  She almost turns upside down when inspecting them and rearranging.  I have seen her bring in additional nest material.

Mr. GT sits in the oak tree keeping watch, and sings very often. He may be feeding her when she comes out - we have still not seen him in the nestbox.

Five eggs is not many for a Great Tit, but that seems to be all - just as well, for the rearing. Maybe she is a young bird, this may be her first brood.

Mrs GT just returning to her nest

Re-arranging the eggs

1st night in her new home

 Mrs GT has settled down for the night. She had been in and out all day, poking and prodding and making turning and pushing movements so as to create a nice hollow in the centre.  By dusk it was obvious that she intended to sleep there, so I imagine that the egg-laying will begin tomorrow.

Exciting!

Mrs GT putting the finishing touches to the nest

 Mrs. GT is now adding soft stuff to her nest. Last weekend she used the lockdown haircut trimmings that I left out! I also cut some pink wool very short (so as not to entangle the chicks, or parents). Some days this past week she has not made many visits, but on other days she’s in and out all morning, less in the afternoon. She doesn’t do the round and round wing fluttering now, more poking and prodding. 

We still haven’t seen Mr. GT in there.

There now seems to be some sheep’s wool in the nest, and the thin curly strands are the pink wool that I left outside.