Bluetit Diary    May 2009 (21)

 

 

Sunday 24th May (part2)

Six hours have passed since the last chick fledged, and the remaining five chicks seem have started egging each other on to follow him - at least three of them have.  The other two don't want to know in spite of Bella making life uncomfortable for them by diving down in the nest cup!

I think they have decided that it is all too difficult for them!

Perhaps not quite.  A chick is having another look out of the box.

Now this is the time that Dad normally appears and starts putting his foot down.  "Come on you lily livered layabouts, it's time to pull your weight and get out into the big wide world."  Or something like that!

But Bertie has disappeared so Bella has to do it.

It doesn't seem to make any difference to these chicks though.

Another three hours have gone by and the chicks still aren't showing any sign of fledging today.

Suddenly, one of the chicks jumps up and takes a look outside.

It still doesn't want to go though.

So finally, at the end of the day, all five chicks are still in the nest box.

Judging from previous years, they're pretty sure to go tomorrow though.  Except perhaps for the littlest one which still looks a couple of days away from being able to fledge.

We'll see tomorrow.