I have a birdbox on my balcony which has been occupied by blue tits last year and hopefully this year. This morning I was woken up by a tapping noise coming from the box. The blue tit was tapping away on the entrance of the box, it actually caused quite some damage. Can anybody tell me why the blue tit is doing this?

i am not absolutly sure lhana but i think it means they have taken to your box and will most likely nest there .it seems some sort of ownership thing i think and to tell others its taken

Hi Lhana

See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6WVLTtLu8k
Best wishes

South Coast Ranger

Dear Celtic Sparrow

Thank you for your reply. That would make sense as quite a few blue tits have been visiting my balcony.

Dear South Coast Ranger

Brilliant footage!

Lhana

makes me wanna put a webcam in my tit box.
Did you read the stuff on pecking behaviour?

Yep, I thought initially it was to make the hole bigger. As I made the box myself I doublechecked if I made the entrance large enough. I suppose even birds have their idiosyncrasies just like humans!!

Thanks again for the useful info!!

Lhana