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Post by suep on May 9, 2019 9:16:57 GMT
Hopefully Boris steps up to the mark for May. Not sure bird watching is any less stressful than football at times . Sue
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Post by blueeyedchick on May 9, 2019 9:25:22 GMT
Fantastic Sammi to know May has 8 eggs as Elle says a good enough clutch. Don't worry about the Caterpillars my two are finding no end despite the weather so must be a good year. Females are quite independent and only really need the male when chicks arrive so wait and see what happens then, however understand the anxiety!
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Post by YorksherLass on May 9, 2019 11:49:29 GMT
Wonderful news Sammi - 8 eggs for May & Boris Everything is happening so quickly to everyones eggs, hatchlings & fledglings, just wish the weather was better for them all.
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Post by sammi on May 9, 2019 18:07:18 GMT
Thanks all. I'm not too worried about Boris although no visits with grubs for her in the box. I haven't had chance to check if he's still calling on her and taking her to dine on the feeders. Tomorrow will be a more relaxing day so I'll have chance to watch more. I've had single parent broods before and they have cooed remarkably well with the help of a few mealworms so a bit of a boring (but restful) time now for both May and I until those little gapes appear. We had a visit from a jay in the garden today ...beautiful bird but maybe up to no good. Busy few days so will try to catch up with everyone's posts soon.
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Post by Beechnut on May 9, 2019 18:40:30 GMT
I wouldn't worry too much yet Sammi, no doubt May is taking comfort breaks when she will see Boris and unless you have a camera on from dawn till dusk you may not catch his bonding visits to the box with food.
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 9, 2019 20:47:03 GMT
8 is a good number Sammi, The boring part now of waiting
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Post by sammi on May 14, 2019 8:48:11 GMT
Just a quick update. Well there still has been no sign of Boris feeding May either at the door or in the nest. I've had the camera on all day and nothing apart from May popping out frequently for feeds etc. I have seen though 2 BTs on the feeders at the same time that May was in her nest. They fly off in the direction of another nest box quite a way away. I've had a male before with one family in that nest box and one in ours. He too disappeared that year only to make his comeback after our nest had hatched chicks that the female had been lone feeding. So I think that 'Boris the bounder' has two nests. Only time will tell. Today I noticed the visits to the feeders by thus pair are a bit more urgent so I'm suspecting the first nest has chicks. Mine are due to hatch this weekend or there abouts. Im hoping its him otherwise May will be on her own with her brood. Mealworms to order...better go.
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2019 9:04:06 GMT
Had this situation several times Sammi. Happens with Starlings too. The male will always attend to the nest with the first hatchlings, leaving the second female with being a single mother.
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 14, 2019 9:17:27 GMT
Hmm, Sounds like May could be a side chick Sammi Lets hope she gets on to the live food and chicks do well
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Post by suep on May 14, 2019 9:45:24 GMT
Oh Sammi, I do hope Boris steps up to the mark as almost an impossible task for a lone female unless she clicks onto the mealies immediately. Everything crossed for you Sue
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Post by sammi on May 16, 2019 7:43:46 GMT
Well I put out the mini Mealworm yesterday late afternoon. One lot in a small white pot open for all on the bird table and two in the Scott feeders - one close to the normal feeding station and the other on the other side of the house where May has her nest. I was up so early this morning and had chance to study the goings on after I replenished the mealworm. As I thought two BTs come from the direction of the other nest and are busy taking lots of grubs back to the nest. May is using both mealworm feeders. I'm thinking that they took very quickly to he Scott feeders so probably May is my lady from last year and the male my male from last year too with his younger lady in the other nest. Of course it may be nothing like this ...... I'm still hoping the male will be more attentive when his first nest has fledged as happened once before. We will probably be away for the hatching which isn't really what I'd hoped but that's life as a footy fan
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Post by YorksherLass on May 16, 2019 10:23:24 GMT
Thanks for the update Sammi about May. I think I've got a similar problem, as it's only one GT taking caterpillars all day into our nestbox, unless Mrs GT is staying in with her chicks. As he sits on my little tree, the chicks start asking for food, he sometimes goes in to do this, other times he feeds them from the nest hole (can't get a piccie) - then he flies off and the chicks go quiet.
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 16, 2019 11:38:03 GMT
Glad the scott feeders are working for you again Sammi, Great they've found the live food!
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Post by elle on May 16, 2019 15:27:40 GMT
This is great Sammi, glad they’ve found the live food, hope they keep up the good work
Elle Xx
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Post by sammi on May 19, 2019 17:34:48 GMT
Well we arrived back from Wembley today to find at least 6 hatched eggs. I can see one egg that hasn't hatched. I'm not sure if they hatched today or yesterday but the mealworms are back on the menu. I topped them up on Friday morning before we left. Hopefully will get a better count of the chicks soon. Sorry to hear some of your nests have had sad losses. I'll try to catch up with all the posts tomorrow.
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Post by YorksherLass on May 20, 2019 9:03:18 GMT
Glad you enjoyed the match at Wembley Sammi - good for M/City! Good news about the eggs hatching, so now fingers crossed that nothing happens to them or the chicks - no disasters which I've read about these last few days.
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Post by sammi on May 20, 2019 9:25:23 GMT
Thanks Diane. I thought football was stressful but it has nothing on watching nests. I'm no too hopeful as Boris is still busy with his other nest and May is on her own. She has found and is using the mini mealworm so this should help. Yesterday I noticed we have a young magpie about being fed by its parent and also a great spotted woodpecker was on the feeders and we haven't seen one of those for ages. Just more things to worry about I still haven't been able to do a proper head count but I think there are 7 gapes but I haven't seen the other egg this morning but could be just underneath.
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Post by blueeyedchick on May 20, 2019 9:40:22 GMT
Well Sammi all good with you so far, the egg might be like our Babe hatched 4 days after the others! Woodpecker hope he/she clears off soon and doesn't come back until chicks have fledged and well camoflaged!
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Post by suep on May 20, 2019 9:46:45 GMT
Lovely that a good number of Mays eggs have hatched Sammi and that she is using the mealworms yahoo_clap . Hope the magpies or woodpeckers don’t become a problem for you . I think footie and birdwatching are both stressful so you must be a glutton for punishment Sammi, following both . Good luck to May, seems she is doing a great job. Sue
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Post by Beechnut on May 20, 2019 10:16:22 GMT
I hope everything is going as well as can do for your babies Sammi, at least if May's the only one feeding, it's good she found and is using the minis.
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Post by sammi on May 20, 2019 16:43:44 GMT
Thanks Beechnut, Sue and Kathy. Hoping for good weather and for Boris to show his face once his others have fledged. He's back and to for mealworms and so is the other woman. May will be nagging him if they do bump into each other at the feeders.
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Post by hfriel on May 20, 2019 16:55:47 GMT
Great news Sammi...... Hopefully warm weather and plenty of plentiful supply of meal worms will be All they need
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Post by sammi on May 20, 2019 19:08:05 GMT
Great news Sammi...... Hopefully warm weather and plenty of plentiful supply of meal worms will be All they need Oh I do hope so Helen.
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 20, 2019 20:23:30 GMT
So you have 7 chicks Sammi? Nice number
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Post by sammi on May 21, 2019 8:47:47 GMT
Paul just this morning they all had their gapes up and there are eight. I don't know how far apart the hatchings were as I couldn't see the egg after Sunday but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. So May has a massive job on her hands and up to yesterday Boris had been no help at all. Will try to get a photo on later.
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