Bluetit Diary    Apr 2019 (25)

 

 

Monday 29th April, 2019

This is a picture of Ann's 11 eggs in Box1. 

In Box2, where the action currently lies, both parents are still at it.
Don't worry, there's only just over 2 weeks to go before they all fledge! 

I think the chicks are looking bigger already - though their eyes are still permanently shut. 

You can quite easily see ten chicks here.  Just count the yellow beaks!

Note their eyes are still completely closed.  I often wonder whether the chicks are also deaf when they first hatch?  Or perhaps it just takes a little time for them to associate the noise of a parent entering the box with food.

With a bit of imagination you can count 10 chicks again here.

This is an easy count of 10.

This looks like 11 chicks to me!

To get 11 chicks to fledge out of 11 eggs would be a record for this site!  We've had 10 twice, once from 11 eggs and the other occasion out of 10, but have never reached more than this - except when two females were involved in 2013 and 2015.

Still, I mustn't tempt fate!

This is a good picture of both parents with 10 chicks clearly visible.  There are 9 yellow beaks and one chick having a fecal sac removed!