Screencap from webcam Biker, LK forum
Translation Liis
On June 12th the five eggs were still covered with down when the female left the nest, but on the next day the eggs were already not covered
Great tit Rasvatihane Parus major
The cool spring this year made the tits start breeding later but of the reasons the ornithologists will write in more detail.
Great tits have this habit: during the egg-laying period the female covers the eggs with feathers on leaving the nest. But when she starts incubating the eggs are left uncovered on leaving the nest trunk and so it happened on June 13th.
The full clutch of eight eggs was in the nest on June 16th, which was also checked today.
Let us make a small predictive calculation on when the chicks may hatch. As already said the female starts incubating already earlier and the incubation period is estimated to last 12 to 14 days. The male feeds the female during this time. She can go out from the nest trunk for short periods to ”stretch her legs”.
Our predictive calculation shows that the chicks may hatch on June 25th. We will wait and see.
A look to check things this morning (June 17th). Screencap from webcam IceAge, LK forum