Today's the day that the eggs in Box2 started hatching! They are the first eggs to hatch this year. However, first I have to update you about the progress Poppy is making in Box1.
Feathers and down are now being brought in.
"Now where shall I put this?"
It looks as though Poppy is planning to roost in the box tonight.
(Writing this well after the event, we know that Poppy laid her first egg this morning, even though the nest was not finished then! She must have been desperate!)
Back to Box2!
Nothing much has happened so far this morning. Here are our two females sitting on each other as usual!
We expected the first egg to hatch over the weekend, but it didn't happen.
Suddenly, I saw something pink at the bottom of the picture - and one of the two females looking at it. An egg has hatched!
This chick is already begging for food!
Bess gets off the nest (and off Spikey's back!) and goes to look for some.
Less than two minutes later she is back with what looks like a LGC (Little Green Caterpillar!). Having the box mounted on an oak tree must help.
Bess gives it to Spikey . . .
. . . who promptly eats it. Not a good start for our new chick!
So without making any fuss, Bess turns round and flies off to get another.
A few minutes later she is back with another, and again, she passes it without hassle . . .
. . . to Spikey.
Now, you can see the LGC in Spikey's beak . . .
. . . and now you can't. She's eaten it again!
This time Bess appears a little cross and proceeds to make life difficult for Spikey by sitting on her . . .
. . . and burrowing down into the nest cup beside her . . .
. . . before flying out again - presumably to get another!
Here she is about to enter the box again with something small in her beak.
Spikey begs for it.
Bess, the trusting bluetit that she is, passes it over to Spikey.
Spikey has it . . .
. . . and this time, at long last, a miracle happens and Spikey tries to feed it to the chick.
So, to celebrate, Bess sits on top of Spikey again!