Precocious Nature.

The early part of 2022 is being unusually precocious in the plant world. Maybe it’s because the winter has been unusually capricious so far, swinging like a pendulum between cold spells and spells milder than we normally get in January. Yesterday I saw gorse, primroses and even daffodils in bloom, while the bluebells at the bottom of my garden are at least a month ahead of schedule.

And the birds seem to think it’s spring, too. They’re showing signs of pairing up well before the normal start of the mating season in April, and a blue tit is taking a great deal of interest in the newly-refurbished nest box behind the kitchen. Watching it is quite fascinating.

It stands on the entrance hole looking around the inside of the box, as though it’s weighing up the dimensions and working out how much material will be required for the nest. And then it goes into the box before pushing its head in and out of the circular hole. Is it assessing whether the size is just right to prevent invasion by bigger birds and rodents which might be predators? I wish I knew. After that it takes up a position on the edge of the hole again, this time looking around the general location. It appears to be working out how far away the nearest cover is, and how far above the ground the box is situated in case a fledgling should fall.

These actions are truly observed, but the reason for them remains a mystery. Is my imagination running away with me, or are blue tits a lot smarter than we think they are?