Bluetit Diary    May 2015 (3)

 

 

Thursday 7th May, 2015

It's quite early in the morning and this is what greets us when we switch on - a pink blob in the nest cup.  The eggs in Box2 have started hatching!

All three parents are here to celebrate!

Whether it was just luck, or whether he found out in some way, we can't know but Pete has brought some food for the chicks to the nest box.

Here he is passing it to Rosie or Susie.

She in turn passes it to the other female ...

... who doesn't quite know quite what to do with it.

Note that Pete is keeping a keen eye on what is happening!

The second female gets off the eggs ...

... and then in turn passes it back to the first female ...

... who then tries to persuade the newly hatched chick to take its first meal.

Note that Pete is still watching!

Mission accomplished ...

... Pete finally departs.

I was going to say that this looks like excellent co-operation between the females, when I saw that one of them kept pecking at the other's face.  It doesn't seem determined enough to be fighting and the female that is being pecked does not retaliate in any way.  She just turns her head away presenting its back to her attacker.

Two hours later, it still looks as though only one egg has hatched.

But what is this - a piece of egg shell!  Does this mean another egg has hatched?

Another 2 hours has passed and it now looks as though 5 eggs have hatched.

More food for the chicks!  (I don't know whether this is Pete, Rosie or Suzie.  I have never found so much difficulty in telling the bluetits apart as I have this year!)

And more chicks to feed too!

It is now half past five in the afternoon and it looks as though there are at least 8 more eggs to hatch here - it is less clear how many chicks there are now though.

This was taken at 6.30pm and is again rather disturbing.  One of the females seems to be pecking at the others face - perhaps at her eyes?  Not a pleasant thought!

A few minutes later, a happier scene to end our report for the day.

All we can do is hope that the aggressive behaviour gets swept aside in the pressure to look after 18 chicks!