We now have 6 eggs in Box1. For a box that we had expected to be unsuccessful this year, that is quite an achievement!
Poppy has been sitting on the eggs for long periods today. I think we can say that incubation has started.
It is somewhat concerning that since the fight in this box on 26th April, there has been no sign of a male still being around. However, since Poppy is laying eggs, surely this means that Patch was around earlier?
Over in Box3, several chicks have now hatched. Here is Chris sitting on them and the remaining eggs (if any!)
John has come in with food . . .
. . . but he seems to be reluctant to pass it to Chris!.
Releasing food for the chicks is something that all males seem to find difficult to begin with.
He has another go . . .
. . . and this time he lets go!
John stays to watch while Chris tries to pass the food to a chick.
Finally, in Box2 things continue as normal.
Here are both mums feeding the 8 chicks. So however many losses there were earlier, things seem pretty stable at the moment.
Here is Hugh with some food for the chicks.
It appears to be Bess who we see most often looking after the brood. I hope that that doesn't mean that Spikey is loosing interest?
Hugh passes the little green caterpillar to Bess.
Bess moves off the chicks to feed them. We don't have audio in the box, but judging from past years she is probably clucking too to wake them up.
This causes them to gape so that she can select a chick to feed.
Hugh watches all of this closely, a common habit with males.
Eight ever hungry chicks!
It is 10 to 8 and the chicks are tucked up for the night. Note that so far there is only one female brooding the chicks. From this angle I cannot be sure whether it is Spikey or Bess.