|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 20, 2019 6:58:10 GMT
Thank you elle , Diane , Sue & Paul for your concern. I'm a little better today thank goodness. Unfortunately 3 of my chicks have died over the weekend. Don't know why but might be dehydration despite the food we are putting out. Shows you how important the caterpillars are to them and it's getting to the end of the season. Babe is still with us but I'm concerned how they will deal with him when fledging arrives his eyes are not open yet and he is 11 days today?
|
|
|
Post by suep on May 20, 2019 9:02:08 GMT
Oh goodness me, what is going on with this forum? Kathy I am so sorry for your loss of chicks, i’m afraid I hadn’t been keeping up with everyone else very well, I am so sorry. You are so right Kathy, their natural food is so important to them as they need all the moisture they can get from it to survive. However I wish more of them would adapt to the waxworms and mealies provided as I am worrying that more young chicks are dying from poisoned natural food. I know I am clutching at straws but we have a lot of keen gardeners around where we live and I am worried they are using insecticides etc that is affecting the birds. There are oak trees across the road which definitely be natural and safe but I wonder if some birds pick the nearer and easier options not knowing the dangers. Just over thinking on my part perhaps. I so hope the rest (including babe) fledge safely and boost our birdie population . Sue
|
|
|
Post by sammi on May 20, 2019 9:17:26 GMT
Oh Kathy it is horrible to see them suddenly die. I know a couple of years ago I suddenly lost two or three chicks so close to fledging. Hard to understand the reasons are behind the losses. I'm on the start of the head counting, heart in mouth stage and I think I'm expecting losses will occur.
|
|
|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 20, 2019 9:54:46 GMT
Thanks Sue don't be sorry it's hard to keep up sometimes. I think you do have a point about natural food becoming tainted. Think that slug pellets in the past which gardeners used contributed to the demise of Hedgehog and Song Thrush. BT's don't eat slugs but pesticides are carried by the wind which could settle on other foliage not intended for that particular plant and in come the birds, so good thinking. Did you see the Hedgehog program with Dr Brian May on channel 5 last week? He said if we don't do something soon by 2025 Hedgehogs will be extinct - unthinkable. I am hoping Babe will also perish in the nest I just cannot see him getting to fledging with the others and I don't want to attempt a rescue, fingers crossed nature deals with it. Sammi also thank you for commenting I have left you a post on your thread. Good luck my sister re-counted 8 in her nest and she called this morning to say all doing well at the moment.
|
|
|
Post by YorksherLass on May 20, 2019 15:44:10 GMT
Oh crumbs Kathy - you too! It's a wonder we're not all in tears 24 hours a day with all these deaths. I was thinking about slug pellets and insectisides when I read other posts, so maybe you're right. I feel a bit guilty telling all of you this, but my GT Merlin is still feeding caterpillars to his chicks, as the two big oak trees near me came out later than everybody else's did. Nobody is interested in gardening at all near me, so nettles etc. you name it abounds & definitely no slug pellets or weed killers used by anybody, including me of course - my froggie doggies seem to take care of slugs as I never see any. Yes, we loved the two hedgehog programme with Brian May and we also watched the previous ones.
|
|
|
Post by suep on May 20, 2019 16:33:41 GMT
Hi Kathy, no didn’t see the programme on hedgehogs, May be able to find it on catch up. I adore hedgehogs, my son had one in his garden last year but he hasn’t seen it for ages now. So sad what we are doing to all these creatures. Once they have gone it’s too late to say I wish we had done this or that. I do understand what you are saying about Babe Kathy, difficult call. I am upset with mine but relieved I didn’t find dying chicks in the nest because I don’t know what i’d have done. My heart would have said ‘try’ and my head would have told me it would probably be an impossible task. Good to hear your sisters chicks are doing well. Sue
|
|
|
Post by hfriel on May 20, 2019 17:50:51 GMT
Aw Kathy that’s sad but your health is more important for you at the moment, so mind yourself.
I had 2 little chicks, I think it was about 3/4 years ago, I remember posting all about him (no idea if was male or female) on Malcolm and Elizabeth’s forum. One died early on but the other little fellow lasted till the bitter end despite being half the size of the others. He wasn’t strong enough to fledge either, but with both parents coming back to feed him and encourage him, he finally fledged about a day and a half later, I called him ‘Teeny”. I was rewarded with parents looking after him in my garden for about 3 weeks, he got bigger and bigger and eventually looked like a real bird. Also about two days after he left the nest I noticed our new puppy being fascinated with something in the flowerbeds, after checking, I discovered it was ‘Teeny’ on the ground in distress, so I just picked him up and put him in the bush. We have lots of cats around but he was a fighter so don’t give up on your little fellow.
|
|
|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 21, 2019 7:06:46 GMT
Sue Do try and catch the program it was Sussex wildlife trust hedgehog rescue I think certainly down south anyway, they are doing a wonderful job. Brian May is a patron and has created a wildlife garden at the centre where they can be released if unable to go back into the wild, as well as a pre-release place for them. Understand what you are saying about the chick situation yes it would have been difficult decision to make. Sometimes I think we are all better off not knowing! Helen Thanks for your comments. I am getting better I think! I thought that Babe may have perished this morning but NO he is still there fighting but not getting much. He is so far behind that even with your related experience I'm not sure if parents will be coming back to feed him as he has very little feather coverage. He needs 14 days of constant food to even get him big enough to reach the nest hole. However, like you say stranger things have happened but I feel in my heart that he would be better gone.
|
|
|
Post by suep on May 21, 2019 8:15:19 GMT
Kathy, if you get chance, have a look at Malcolm’s viewer. Looks like the chicks will fledge today but unless it’s the camera angle two or three are much much smaller than the others. Take care of yourself. Sue
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 21, 2019 9:21:11 GMT
Sorry to hear of your illness Kathy, bad news about some of your chicks!
|
|
|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 21, 2019 9:37:06 GMT
Sue I have had a look at the Biggs viewer but think Babe is smaller what do you see? Babe is 11 days today and the last 5 15 days.
|
|
|
Post by sammi on May 21, 2019 9:42:07 GMT
Come on Babe. We are all routing for you. Lovely little video. I do hope if he survives until the others fledge that the parents will keep feeding him. They do come back and check don't they
|
|
|
Post by WildlifePaul on May 21, 2019 10:04:13 GMT
Aww kathy, My heart goes out for "Babe" He/she is so tiny compared to the rest. Come on babe
|
|
|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 21, 2019 10:41:21 GMT
Benn first off thank you for wishing me well it lays me low for a while. Unfortunately there is no cure just keep managing it. Anyway shame about the middle 3 chicks but I am a realist and what will be will be. How are things at yours it's taking me a while to read all the goings on which is quite a lot by the looks of it, sad and happy!
Thank you Paul & Sammi too. Such lovely friends on here. Paul I hope you have recovered from your ordeal don't be ashamed of shedding a tear I have been close to it myself over my nest. As I have said to Sue sometimes it's better we don't know cameras are a double edged sword. What happened to the little Sparrow did you go to the wildlife centre?
Sammi Bless you for wishing our Babe well, I hope if he is left his parents will return to fatten him up and Flo will roost to keep him warm, both have been fantastic parents keeping the kids clean and tidy. Yesterday I caught Flo taking one of the dead chicks out so she must have done the others while I was not looking!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 21, 2019 10:47:24 GMT
Not good Kathy, I have just posted that Mrs Blue tit disappeared yesterday at 7:18am and never came back leaving 7 eggs that were not far from hatching. I strongly suspect she was taken by a Sparrowhawk. I don;t get upset these days. I like my birds and boxes but do not get attached to them like pets. The main thing is for you to get better. As for me I am just going out to buy compost and flowers for my numerous hanging baskets on this lovely spring day!
|
|
|
Post by suep on May 21, 2019 16:14:12 GMT
Ooh Kathy, Babe really is small. Bless him/her. Really surprised has survived this long now i’ve seen the picture. Will be rooting for him though, must be a fighter. Sue
|
|
|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 21, 2019 19:48:32 GMT
Thanks Sue RIP Babe one tough cookie.
|
|
|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 21, 2019 19:54:44 GMT
Benn Sorry to read what you think happened to your female but most likely you are correct although I have read they can just drop dead through the energy they use during egg laying etc.I know what you mean about not getting attached but it is difficult when you become part of their lives. However, I am sure that we really should only be watching and learning and accept that this is nature at its hardest - tough though. Will we do it all again next year? Damn right we will!!!!!
|
|
|
Post by elle on May 21, 2019 22:29:49 GMT
Oh Kathy, I’ve just watched your video, and couldn’t believe how small babe was, then I read on & im upset to see he/she has passed away As you have said, you are realistic & it was, I’m afraid, just a matter of time! Let’s hope we/birds have better luck next year Kathy. Hope your feeling a bit better, & soon be back to your full potential Kathy Elle xx
|
|
|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 22, 2019 7:52:18 GMT
Improving elle thank you, don't know what my full potential is I'm afraid. Glad Babe passed, relieved really didn't want to see him starve to death alone in the box. If that had happened I probably would have done something to hasten it. Diane So pleased someone else saw Brian's program good wasn't it? I would love to meet him he is such a great guitarist and animal activist. Also pleased that your chicks are getting enough food from your surrounding 'wildlife gardens' experts are always saying we shouldn't manicure our gardens or at least have a corner untouched so that's my excuse!
|
|
|
Post by suep on May 22, 2019 8:14:54 GMT
So sad little Babe has passed away, but relieved for you Kathy. What a little fighter. On the plus side Kathy the rest look really lovely and healthy. Sue
|
|
|
Post by YorksherLass on May 23, 2019 10:19:23 GMT
Kathy, unfortunately I've just done the same as Elle, watched the lovely video clip of Babe & then read the bad news. We don't get any hedgehogs in our garden which is a shame as I love them too - that's why I watched BM's first series as well as the latest one. I haven't seen my Mr. GT Merlin feeding since the 20th May, so later on today Gerry is going to take the nest box down to have a look inside - hopefully we'll see an empty nest with no dead chicks in it! We do this every year, take a photo of it & then put the box back until the end of August when it comes down for cleaning.
|
|
|
Post by blueeyedchick on May 24, 2019 9:22:40 GMT
For all who have followed or commented on Flo & Andi's thread it is much appreciated.
|
|
|
Post by Ann70 on May 24, 2019 9:54:22 GMT
lovely kathy to see your little ones have fledged, so cute
|
|
|
Post by Beechnut on May 24, 2019 10:26:03 GMT
Hope you can follow them in your garden Kathy.
|
|