Bluetit Diary    May 2011 (21)

 

 

Wednesday 25th May, 2011

The only chicks that are still in their box are Amy's four chicks in Box1.

The system switched on at about 6.30am - are all four of Amy's chicks still there?

Yes they are - and they don't look as though they will leave soon either!

An hour later and the chicks are looking more lively - but all four are still in the box.

Suddenly, one of them jumps up on to the hole and looks out.

Is it about to go?  The fact that its feet are visible gripping the outside of the hole is a pretty good sign that it is serious.

It's on its way!

Now there are only three left inside the box.

The other chicks show no sign of leaving the nest until  this one pokes its head out nearly three hours later.  Note that its feet are not visible - I don't think it's about to go yet.

I think it's just asking to be fed!

Here comes Amy.

What's this?  It looks like the neighbour's cat!

It actually manages to get a paw inside the box in the hope of catching something I suppose.  Fortunately the chicks have the sense to cower down in the nest cup.

It's a nice cat, but I wish it wouldn't try to catch our chicks!

They still look frightened some two and a half hours later.

Eventually, though, life returns to normal.

However, at the end of the day the three chicks are still in the box.

I am fairly confident that if it had not been for the cat, these three chicks would have fledged today.