More wing flapping.
More food!
I wonder why there is always one chick that doesn't want to fledge and always seems to hide at the bottom of the nest cup?
Another feed.
Another wing flapping session. It is miracle that these chicks which have never been out of their nest box, can fly well enough to survive directly they leave it!
Three apparently contented chicks tucked up for the night.
Wednesday 26th May, 2021
Although I realised that the chicks might leave early this morning, and planned to leave the system running with the camera's time switch set to come on at 6am, I nonetheless shut down my computer as normal before going to bed!
I therefore missed recording the fledging of the first two chicks. Fortunately for me, the last chick was still in the nest box!
As usual, the last chick is huddled in the corner of the otherwise empty box.
In spite of having the two chicks that had fledged to look after, Ella remembers to bring in some food for the last chick.
On the way out, she notices the poo left beneath the exit hole after the last chick had fledged - a normal happening!
Being the good mum that she is, and being very careful to preserve good hygene in the nest box, she picks it up and removes it.
Junior has now moved to another corner!
Now he tries to find some comfort in the nest cup.
Back to the corner.
Another feed for Junior. I always find it surprising that the parents remember the last frightened chick in the nest box, and visit it regularly to bring it food.
Junior is now thinking that he really must leave the nest box and join the others outside in the big wild world.
"Will these wings work properly outside?"
Going ...
Just at the wrong moment, Dad comes along with food ...
... which the chick takes while he is on the hole.
Another bit of encouragement!
"Come on lad, it's good out here!"
"Shall I - or shan't I?"
"I think I must!"
"Here I come!"
Finally the last chick flies from the only home it has had in its short life.
A few minutes later one of the parents comces back to the box to check that there are no more chicks left to fledge.
What's this?
On its way out it notices the final poo left by the last chick.
Again, being the good parent that it is, it picks it up ...
... and removes it from the nest box.
And that's it for another year!