Last year we watched Hart court Ella, lose Ella when Pip returned (sound familiar?), begin looking for love at the Logan and West Winnipeg nestsites, court various suitable and eligible banded and unbanded females only to have Ella screw up his game time and time again. Now that Pip has returned and Hart has moved out of the Radisson territory this year is starting to look like last year. Or maybe not.
Within two days of Pip’s return we have a new bird in town, an unbanded female who appears to be taking a serious interest in the West Winnipeg nestbox and Hart likewise appears to be taking a serious interest in her. Now before the festivities get too boisterous, there is still a fly in the ointment – Ella, despite her barely day-old reunion with Pip, decided to take a serious interest in the goings-on in West Winnipeg – literally not figuratively. Found her parked down the wall from the nestbox – not sure if she was making sure it was empty or if she was having a bit of a socially-distanced stand-off with the new female – we think the latter as it was a pretty short rather low-key (for Ella) event.
So the question is, will the almost simultaneous return of Pip and the arrival of a potential mate for Hart be enough to distract Ella from interfering once again in Hart’s love life? Last year Hart’s first ladyfriend didn’t turn up until Ella was laying eggs at the Radisson. Perhaps with Pip demanding her attention she won’t have time to butt in out west. Now hopefully Hart will pull out his A game and do what he is good at, romancing the ladies – while Ella is otherwise occupied.