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2008 Diary | |
| Robins: nested in the open box. First egg 19Mar, 5 eggs by 23Mar. Four robins hatched 6Apr, at least 3 were on camera 17Apr and all left 18Apr. | |
| Blue tits: nested in the hole box. First egg 12Apr, 11 eggs by 22Apr. Ten hatched 5May, and counted 10 again 10May. At least 8 were on camera in the final days and all left 24May. | |
| Blackbirds: found a late nest with 4 chicks 2Jun, estimate 4 or 5 days old. All left 10Jun. | |
Empty nest before first light. Both Blackbird parents seen taking food to chicks. Probably around 11 days or so, which is normal for open nesting Blackbirds. | |
Stretching and exercising - video. | |
Blackbird chicks far too large to cover now. | |
Warm sunny day and the food demands don't stop. | |
Mother feeding the chicks - video. | |
Both parents full time feeding the chicks. | |
Four chicks doing well. | |
Growing chicks. | |
Feeding time, the video. | |
Feeding time. | |
Siting tight on a wet day. Four Blackbird chicks confirmed. | |
Found the latest Blackbird nest, in ivy on top of the bottom fence. Already hatched, three chicks appear to be about 4 or 5 days old. | |
Sun 01Jun08 | Blue tits including young around the garden, Robins still taking food, they must have had another nest somewhere else. Young Blackbirds around too, nest not found. |
By first light, the last Blue Tit fledgling seems to have gone and only mother is left checking the empty box. | |
Not a lot of the nest cup left now, more of a platform as the young stretch and flap and off they go. Only two left at 09:30. Last one reluctant to leave despite visits from mother and still there as it gets dark. | |
Dull day but the box is even darker because the light is blocked as some chicks are rising to the hole and looking out. | |
Eighteen days. | |
Wing stretching and preening in the nest. | |
Hole watching. | |
Counting Blue Tit chicks is difficult because they climb in and out of the nest cup and over each other, but we have seen at least 8 chicks active on camera. The Robins have been about every day since leaving the nest and are still actively taking food to their young - that would be 30 days after fledging. | |
Video clip, compare this one to the chicks just a week ago. | |
Fourteen days and the markings are clearly emerging. | |
Quiet waiting punctuated with frenetic activity. | |
Another dull start to the day. | |
Dull and rainy but still growing. | |
Tenth day for the Blue Tit chicks in the nest. | |
Noticably more feather cover. | |
Another busy warm day. | |
Short video clip. | |
Chicks have grown too large to cover, it's a warm day and they are climbing in and out of the nest cup. | |
Chicks are spreading themselves out a little more; after several recounts there are pictures which clearly show 10 chicks! A couple are smaller than the average, but they are all much larger than when hatched so they all must be getting some food. | |
Nine chicks growing quickly. | |
Feeding the chicks and diving to the bottom of the nest, housekeeping? | |
At least one unhatched egg visible. Both parents working hard. | |
Hard to count chicks in a moving bundle but at least 9 confirmed. | |
Hatched! Both parents busy feeding the chicks. | |
11 eggs after 12 days as the light fades. | |
Moving eggs, this happens every 10 or 15minutes in the daytime. | |
10 days. | |
How does a bird become so round? | |
Rainy day but snug on the nest. | |
Seventh day starts bright but rain forecast later. | |
Sixth day, some rain but still warm. | |
Sunny and warmest day so far. | |
Four days and feeling warmer. | |
Sunny start to the third day sitting. | |
Second full day sitting on eleven eggs. | |
Eleven eggs for the Blue Tits, sitting all day with breaks of only a few minutes. | |
Blue Tits now have ten eggs, some sitting later in the day. | |
Robins confirmed taking food to at least two separate areas. Fledgelings not actually seen yet, but probably deep in cover. Blue Tits showing nine eggs, and some signs of incubation imminent for several minutes around 15:00. | |
Robins taking food, presumably to feed young hidden around the garden. Blue Tits now have eight eggs. | |
Empty Robin nest at first light. | |
At least three Robins present as light falls after twelve days. | |
Four Blue Tit eggs visible. Only three Robins for certain, has the fourth died or fallen? | |
Blue Tit eggs hidden by nest lining. Robins jostling for position. | |
Third Blue Tit egg by first light. Four Robins filling nest. | |
Second Blue Tit egg at 12:17. Difficult to fit all four Robin chicks in the frame. Mother not sitting much as they develop their own feathers. Unhatched egg not seen, probably at the bottom. | |
First Blue Tit egg at first light! Robin chicks are opening their eyes and filling the nest. | |
Sixth day for four Robin chicks. | |
Robin unhatched egg still present but four chicks growing well. | |
Fourth day for the Robin chicks. | |
Four Robin chicks, last egg still unhatched. Blue tit still lining nest and in until the light fades, roosting? | |
Second day for four fluffy chicks. | |
By 07:15 more Robins are hatching, at 07:45 the empty shells have gone and we have four chicks with one egg left. | |
First egg hatches late in the day at 19:16 after thirteen days and now cold nights on the Robin nest. Blue Tit box visits. | |
Twelfth day on the Robin nest. Are they feathers in the Blue Tit box? | |
Eleven days for the Robins. Blue Tit visiting but not adding bulk. | |
Tenth day on the Robin nest. How long before eggs in the Blue Tit box? | |
Nine days for the Robin. Nest in the Blue Tit box still forming. | |
Eight days Robin. Blue Tit still adding. | |
Seven days for the Robin. Blue Tit still adding moss and dried grass. | |
Robin sixth day. Blue Tit still building. | |
Blue Tits adding more nest all day, Robin fifth day. | |
More nest material for the Blue Tits. Robin fourth day. | |
Robin third day sitting. Blue Tits adding nesting material | |
Blue Tit box is being visited but no more nesting material. Robin second day sitting. | |
Robin on the nest from first light and on the nest all day apart from a two hour gap mid morning, five eggs confirmed. | |
Snow and sleet early. On the Robin nest between 08;20 and 09:25 leaving the fifth egg, then sitting from 14:00 for the rest of the day. | |
Very windy and cold. Fourth Robin egg between 06:30 and 08:00. | |
Colder overnight but between 06:40 and 07:25 the third Robin egg. | |
On the nest from first light and second Robin egg by 07:30. | |
First Robin egg! | |
Blue Tits making repeated visits. | |
Another wet and windy weekend and early Robin visits continue, but no eggs yet. Meanwhile, the box is visited by a Blue Tit. | |
Wet and windy but early visits to the Robin nest are more frequent. | |
Frosty mornings and only occasional early visits to the Robin nest. | |
Robin nest cup shaping and lining with moss. | |
After a cold period, Robin activity increasing; 15 visits seen today and nest cup taking shape again. | |
Another sunny day, watching the tit box for any visits. | |
Sunny day and visits from Robin - and a Great Tit. | |
Visit on a warmer day, no evidence of visits when the weather is colder. | |
Brief visit most days. Hoping the cooler weather delays the Robins for a few weeks. | |
Still building and shaping. | |
Robin camera installed, nest already underway. Weather has been mild and wet but this is very early. | |