Bluetit Diary    May 2014 (12)

Well - how are you all this morning?

Hungry!

This chick seems to have an urge to fly!

It's about time you lot were outside!

That's a good stretch!

"Hey - what's he doing up there?"

It's now ten to eight and as far as I am aware, this is the first time a chick has looked out of the nest box.  Had I seen it then, I would never have dreamt that all the chicks would leave the box in the next 15 minutes!

This chick looks serious!

This looks as though a collision is about to happen.

Anchors on ...

...and about turn!

That was close!

Less than a second later she tries again - and this time she ignores the chick and carries on regardless.

Presumably the chick gets out of the way ...

... so that Mum can get into the box.

This is Mum on the far right with her seven chicks.

The awkward chick that got in the way has not been discouraged - he is back on the hole looking out.  And by the look of it calling for help!

Dad comes along and gives him some envouragement.

Meanwhile Mum has found an unhatched egg and somehow manages to pick it up ...

... and carry it out of the way.

I have never seen a bluetit pick up an egg in this way before.  The egg must have a hole in it so that she can get her beak into it.  Did she make the hole herself, or did it get made as a result of the rough and tumble in the nest cup?

She doesn't seem to know what to do with it.  It can't help that a chick is still in the nest box hole!

In the end she drops it in the corner of the box.

In the meantime, the chick in the nest box hole is looking more and more like flying off!

All the birds in the box seem to have gone quiet waiting to see what will happen.

Finally, the first chick spreads its wings and leaps into the unknown!  It is 07:53:17.