We had a late start this morning. I'm sure the chicks didn't, though they look pretty calm here.
The typical bluetit markings are becoming obvious - the white head band, for example.
Spikey has come with yet more food.
I wonder how many little green caterpillars a nestful of chicks will get through before they fledge? It's just as well the box is attached to at oak tree - at least the parents don't have to go far!
Hugh and Spikey with a mealworm.
A chick is going walkabout again. Look at those wing feathers - they have grown amazingly over the last few days. They should enable the chicks to fly soon!
There is a parent in the nest box hole with some food in its beak - and one of the chicks has almost reached it.
One of the mums is digging around at the bottom of the nest cup. Why is it taking her so long?
It looks like a dead body!
That's a shame - I thought things were going so well too. To loose a chick this late is most unusual.
For some time, mum has tried to get the body out of the nest box hole. This is quite easy when the chicks are small but when they have reached this stage it is almost impossible.
The small holes that artificial nest boxes have do protect the nest from predation, but do create problems if this happens.
Finally, she gives up and drags the body back into the nest cup.
That seems surprising. Perhaps she has decided that it isn't dead after all. I thought I saw it breathing as it was lying on the floor beneath the hole.
From this shot alone, you would not realise that the chick in the middle was the 'dead' chick.
It soon gets buried again due to the continual restlessness of the living chicks.
So mum has to get it out again!
She tries several times more to get rid of it but fails each time. Eventually, she gives up.
This was the state of play when we shut down for the night.