Bluetit Diary    May 2001 (7)

The chicks are visibly growing every day.  This morning we were struck by how much darker they had become as a result of their early growth of feathers.  They are also becoming much more noisy, greeting each parent with a clamorous high pitched cheeping.  Presented with so many gaping mouths, the parent pops its item of food into any available mouth, and if it is not swallowed immediately, promptly removes it again to give to another chick  This may happen several times before it is taken quickly enough to satisfy the parent bird.

We had a look at the nest a couple of times late last night and on both occasions it was apparent that the hen has given up sitting on the nest at night time.  Once she appeared asleep to the left and on the second time she had moved to the right.

The chicks are not getting it all their own way though, when we looked a final time before going to bed we found her head down in the nest, busy doing whatever she does down there!

Here the hen is doing her "housework".  The chicks are pushed unceremoniously to the edges of the nest, while she delves downwards - we can hear her tapping on the base of the box while she does this.

Faecal sacs are no longer eaten  - and this is not the largest one we have seen!  After each delivery of food, the birds wait to see if there is going to be an "end product", before they fly off to seek more supplies.