Bluetit Diary    May 2014 (9)

 

 

Friday 16th May 2014

The chicks are developing rapidly.

Two chicks are again out of the nest cup when the early morning sun makes it uncomfortable for the chicks there.

Wing flapping is fairly common now.

The parents are very fussy when feeding their chicks.  They seem to demand that the chick they give food to is desperate for it and if it does not grab the food immediately, they they remove it and try another chick.

In this sequence, Pippa seems to attempt to feed several chicks before finding a suitable recipient.  This is the first attempt.

That chick didn't take it so Pippa tried chick number 2.

That was no good either so she tried a third time - in fact she tries the original chick again.

That didn't work a second time so for her fourth trial she switches back to chick number two.

No good again - so for her fifth trial she tries a new chick.

For some reason she was not happy with this chick either so it's back to the original chick for a third time!

Again no good, so for her seventh trial she tries the third chick again.

Wonder of wonders, this time the chick seems to take the food ...

... or does she just get fed up with passing it around and eat it herself?  The chick she tried last is still gaping for it and doesn't look as though it has just eaten something.

In any event, she leaves the nest box to get more food.

The time is a quarter past five and the chicks all appear to be having a siesta.

Another wing flapping exercise.

A late feed from both parents.

The chicks settle down for the night.