Bluetit Diary    May 2006 (8)

 

 

Thursday 11th May, 2006

Today is the day that Kate's eggs are supposed to hatch.  I wonder if anyone has told them?

Kate gets up early these days!

It's now about ten past six.  This is the first time Kate has been off the nest since the start of recording which is about 6 o'clock.  There is no sign of any eggs hatching yet!

It's now an hour later and there is still no sign of any eggs hatching!

But what's this.  It looks like a piece of eggshell to me.  And bang on schedule too!

Kate does the right and proper thing and eats the eggshell.  As well as helping to recover the calcium used to create the eggs, there are bound to be useful nutrients attached to the discarded shell.

Here you can see a small piece still in her beak and another piece on the edge of the nest.

This must be the other half of the discarded eggshell.  She eats that too!

But what's this?  A third half?  There must be a second chick hatching!

This is the first time Kate has left the nest cup uncovered since the first chick hatched.  I think you can see two chicks here but the image is not clear.

Ben seems to have cottoned on and is doing his bit to help.  I suppose there is not much difference between bringing food just for Kate and bringing food for the chicks.

There are still lots of unhatched eggs.  I think you can count seven but I'm not 100% sure of this!

An hour later and there is still no change.