Bird Box Diary Three

Today is Monday 4th June.  It is time to start what is probably the last week for this diary.  The chicks are growing at a terrific rate.  Most now have their eyes open but I have not heard any of them make a sound!  Their parents are very busy collecting food for them and running the gauntlet of local magpies, rooks and jackdaws.  There are also two cats who show an unhealthy interest in my garden.

Tuesday, 5th June.   There does not appear to be a great deal of change between today's picture and yesterday's.  They all have more feathers and are darker.  They also spend more time preening.  This activity is easier if you happen to be at the top of the pile! When they 'present their rear ends' their newly growing tails are evident.

Yesterday, I managed to catch my little robin stealing a mealworm from the feeder which the blue tits still have not discovered.  I have a short video of the 'offence' that will be used in evidence.  If you would like to see it, click either of the images above. It is larger than most as it is in colour and I needed better quality.  It is about 425k

Thursday, 7th June   I have left the sound on today's video and also created a choice of file size.  There is a Large file of 552k and a Small file of 220k.  They show the same scene and last 8 seconds but, if you have a fast connection, the quality should be better with the larger file. I have also created a sound bite of the chicks (227k and 21 seconds) which lasts for visits by both parent birds. Click on the highlighted links.   The largest of the chicks also stood on the lip of the nest cup and flapped its wings.  Another 'First'!

Friday, 8th June Here is one of today's videos.  This shows a typical feeding session.  You should notice that the chick that is fed, is much less developed than the one next to it.  You will also see it present its rear and the parent bird remove the faecal sac for disposal.  Not for the squeamish!

This is a still from a piece of video that shows the older chick pecking at its smaller sibling.  Very distressing.  If you click on the picture, it loads a larger one.  To see the video evidence, click HERE

Saturday, 9th June  They are all still there!  I have been trying all morning to get a good shot of all nine.  Below is the best so far. The most noticeable new feature is that some have started the 'wing-flapping' that you see all chicks do when they are begging for food.  I even saw one of the smaller chicks try to beg from a sibling.  Once again, there is a video attached to the picture on the right. It is 300k and lasts for 11 seconds.

Another exciting piece of news is that I got some video of five badgers all at once on our patio.  This is the first time that we have seen more than four.  The pictures and video are on the badger pages.  Click HERE to go straight there.

Here it is!  The Welsh Choir in full song.  Click on the picture to hear them sing.  Make sure you have your volume up; it's not that loud.

Sunday, 10th June

The picture on the left was taken last night at around 11.00pm.  Everyone is a sleep and Mum is curled up outside the nest cup.
On the right, is a feeding session this morning at around 6.00 am.  Mum left the nest at 4.57am and since then, she and Dad have been bringing food for the chicks.  It is a chilly morning here, in South West Wales.  There is a northerly wind and the temperature outside at 4.30 was only 9°C. That's about 58ºF.  There has been a great deal of preening of feathers and pre-flight checks

Here is a short piece of video (170k and 5 seconds) of Dad feeding the chicks.  They are almost as big as he is and they jump so high to be first in line.  Notice the little heads hidden in the middle and at 5 o'clock.  Aaahh! There has been much more wing-flapping and preening.  Many also spend time perched on the edge of the nest cup and look at the exit!

Here is today's video.  While we were watching this morning, Mum came in with a huge caterpillar.  The little chick struggled but it all disappeared.  Mum watched looking rather anxious!  The video is 297k and 8 seconds.

This was a screenshot that I got this afternoon.  It reminds me of a slice of pie!  It must be the only way that nine chicks can fit into that little nest cup.  There is a larger version of the picture if you click on it. During today, we have had occasions where all of them were out of the cup.  It is now gone 7.00 pm and they are still there.  The good news is that Dad has discovered the mealworm feeder and has been very busy going to and fro.  More details tomorrow when I have edited some video.