8.15 The male is on the eggs, where he has been since dawn.
8.30 He suddenly looks alert and gives a couple of calls. This heralds the arrival of the female who takes over incubation in a very rapid changeover.
9.10 After shifting some pieces of gravel around, she’s on the move herself: turning through 360 degrees in four steps, settling between each one! We get a brief view of the still-intact eggs.
9.27 Having been alert for a while, the female settles down to snooze.
10.15 Looking a bit more alert, and repositions on the eggs slightly.
11.00 Female still on eggs.
11.37 After a long period of doing very little, a reshuffle is in order and she changes position slightly.
12.04 After being distracted by a fly, the female moves some the gravel next to the scrape around.
12.05 She turns almost full circle bit-by-bit, carefully rearranging the eggs as she does so.
12.30 Changeover as the male takes over incubating
13.00 Male asleep while incubating.
13.25 Male dozing but opens eyes from time to time
13.59 Mlae shuffles around and eggs visible for a few seconds
14.17 Male very alert but pecking at gravel from time to time
14.34 Another shuffle about and view of the eggs.
14.55 All very peaceful in the nest box, although a passing fly again catches the attention of the male!
15.20 A bit of housekeeping as he picks at the gravel.
15.40 More moving of the gravel, and a change of incubating position.
15.51 He perks up and calls the female is presumably nearby.
15.52 The female arrives on the edge of the box, her partner quickly makes way and she settles over the eggs.
16.00 A change of position, she is now facing the back of the nestbox.
17.10 She seems well-settled if slightly damp, back on to the outside world.
Thank you for the volunteers for todays blog: Mike Hoit, Andrew Gorton, Ann Cleall and Julian Thomas