Video footage revealed that the sparrows expelled the redstarts in several raids between 06:33 and 07:53. Afterwards, the large male sparrow posed several times near the nest, but apart from a few curious visits by other sparrows, there was no further activity in the wooden enclosure (the nesting box). The redstarts have not returned; they may have abandoned the nest.
15h: still no action. Inspection by removing cover of the nesting box. Inside the enclosure are 2 chicks that have been thrown outside the nest. Inside the nest: one chick dead, one egg broken, 2 eggs still sound
Short term action plan: extract the broken eggs, the dead chicks and the ones trown out of the nest and injured. Leave the two intact eggs untouched and reduce the aperture to 29.5 mm: should the female redstart return still today.
