Bluetit Diary    May 2012 (3)

 

 

Tuesday 1st May 2012 (cont)

A further hour and a quarter have now passed and it is about ten past six.

There are still 5 whole eggs showing which means that no more eggs have hatched since the fourth egg hatched at about half past four.

Then ten minutes later Jess holds up yet another piece of egg shell.  Another chick must have hatched out.

It's now just before half past six and four eggs are still clearly visible.

So at the moment we have five chicks and four unhatched eggs.  I wonder whether any more will hatch before we close for the day?

What was I saying - this looks as though another chick is hatching out - and Mum isn't there to help!

Here she is back though and it appears as though she is eating the shell again.

About ten minutes later, Jess holds up yet another piece of shell.  This time she does not eat it but takes it out of the nest box.

Now there are only two eggs left to hatch.

James being a good dad again!  This time he is feeding Jess.

This time Jess is not in the nest box, so James feeds the chicks himself.

He must be a second year dad - many males in this situation just don't know what to do and just fly out of the nest box again!

James feeding Jess again - who will of course pass the food on to one of the chicks.

This is the last shot taken before the system closes down.

The score is Chicks 7  Eggs 2.

I expect they will all have hatched by the morning!