Ugh it's almost worse having had the camera working and showing me what's in the nest and then to deciding not to, than not knowing at all and being blissfully unaware! Every time it goes off I think it's probably the final time. If I could rely on just restarting it and getting it running again each time it would be just about bearable, but knowing it's so to touch and go is ridiculously frustrating!
And a video clip from around the same time... the chick that I thought was making a bid for freedom from the nest, in the bottom left hand corner, partially hidden under a large feather, doesn't look to be doing as well as the rest. Got a feeling this one isn't doing so well We shall see... or rather, we might see, if the camera revives tomorrow at some point!
Oh Pete, they are looking like proper little birds now . Such a shame about the little one in the corner - it is always a fear when they get out of the nest cup too early. So hope it makes it . Having a bit of a worry with mine too - one of the parents (mum I think) is bringing in suet pellets from somewhere . Just hope they are getting enough live food as well ( they are ignoring the waxworms and mealworms that are right in front of them ). Sue
Oh Pete, they are looking like proper little birds now . Such a shame about the little one in the corner - it is always a fear when they get out of the nest cup too early. So hope it makes it . Having a bit of a worry with mine too - one of the parents (mum I think) is bringing in suet pellets from somewhere . Just hope they are getting enough live food as well ( they are ignoring the waxworms and mealworms that are right in front of them ). Sue
Yes every day seems to add an extra layer of feathers. Quire a bit of wing flapping happening now as well. Still not quite ready to fly free though - I think the earliest it might be is Monday, which would be 18 days for the one that first hatched. That little corner one is still clinging on this evening...but definitely looks v lethargic compared to the others.
I know the feeling with the suet pellet thing - I had that last year as I'm sure caterpillars were nowhere to be found (it was really hot weather). I keep trying with mealworms this time round but it just attracts magpies to the garden, although the robins take a fair few when they can.
Camera revived this evening - so currently grabbing as much video as I can while it's up and running.
Quick update with a couple of pics from today. Camera still playing up but managing to give me a small taster of what's happening each day. It looks as if there are only eight chicks left, although not 100% certain. They're looking even more like proper blue tits now.
They look so cute Pete. Is the little one in the corner still being fed? He looks so lonely there. Not long until fledging now so I hope your camera holds up even if only for short times for you Sue
Yep the corner one gets fed, and also wriggles back into the main nest every so often, so I'm hoping it might be a later fledger and get a day or two of more personal attention if some other siblings have left the box.🤷
Today's update - seems only eight chicks now. Camera decided to work this afternoon so grabbed some footage while I could. Screenshots below. Plenty of food still being brought in by both adults - non-stop back and forth all day long. Can't be long now till fledging - I reckon maybe Tuesday...unless one or two get very keen and go tomorrow, but there's still no sign of any of them getting curious about the nest box entrance yet, although they are pecking at the box sides a fair bit and doing some serious wing-flapping.
Couple of vids from today. Camera was working for about 24hrs until lunchtime today, then I revived it for about an hour this evening.
8 chicks still there, half of them look really ready to fly free, but I can't help thinking it might be another day or two before the first one gets curious about the nest box entrance.
Hi Pete, hope camera is holding up . Any fledging news yet? Hope you get to see them go. Sue
They're all seemingly still quite happy sitting in the box getting fed. Camera is clinging on in an unpredictable, random kind of way. No telling when it decides to stop showing me stuff, and then no telling if it'll reset itself nicely when I tell it too, or keep me hanging on tenterhooks. At the moment it's behaving itself.
I think I spotted one little foray up to the nest box entrance by one chick about 30 mins ago, but it's hard to know for sure if it was a chick or just a departing adult - I only saw it on the low quality motion detection alert screenshot (I'm trying not to keep the camera live view on all the time for fear of the camera stopping again).
There's lots of preening going on, and they're spreading themselves out a lot and looking a lot more restless than before, so who knows, could be today, or tomorrow, or Friday?
As I write, I'm pretty sure one's gone - only seem to be 7 left as far as I can see. Must've been within the last hour.
A little earlier this evening it was like this video, with one of them in particular doing lots of flapping up to the entrance and also up into the roof of the box, so I reckon that's the one that's probably gone.
Looking at them all tucking themselves up for the night, I think you're right Sue. Bless them - haven't seen them doing the 'roosting' pose before all together.