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Post by suep on May 16, 2019 18:18:46 GMT
So sorry you lost a chick Elle, however as Paul says 7 is still a very good number. Lovely to see a picture of your babies cause Ann and I can sort of imagine where our babies are in their development bar a day or so. So good that parents seem very attentive - my dad seems not to be working as hard as I think he should be but I guess only time will tell. Sue
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Post by hfriel on May 16, 2019 18:31:53 GMT
Great Photos Elle and at least they will use the mealies if needs nest.....mine won’t go near the mini ones. The sparrows, coal and great tits have no such problems. Am going to try and source some larger ones, might have more success. Hopefully your other magnificent seven will thrive
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Post by natalie on May 16, 2019 22:02:44 GMT
So pretty
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Post by Ann70 on May 17, 2019 10:07:19 GMT
Lovely photos Elle Sue and i will look at yours and imagine they are our chicks
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Post by Beechnut on May 17, 2019 14:31:01 GMT
Glad to hear you have 7 healthy hatchlings Elle - I hope they continue to thrive.
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Post by YorksherLass on May 17, 2019 15:54:45 GMT
Lovely photos Elle & it's a shame about the unhatched egg & one death, but there are seven left and that's a lucky number! they thrive, grow & fledge successfully & like Ann & Sue, I'm imagining what my baby chicks are doing in their nest (they are GT's though.)
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Post by elle on May 19, 2019 21:33:33 GMT
Update.well up to 2 days ago I had 7 chicks, however, I think something is definitely going wrong, not sure if I’ve got 5 or 6 today , Zorro is definitely doing the better job at feeding caterpillars when he can & he knows exactly how to put the mealies into the mouths properly, whereas Poppy Doesn’t seem to have a clue , she tries to ram the mealies in, even if it’s sideways, she doesn’t know how to place them, that is when she decides to use them, Because she’s been feeding mainly suet and sunflower seeds The sorrowful sight is I can see the pale gapes of the deceased chicks against the cup edges I don’t know if there are 1 or 2 in there or whether she’s taken any out, because she’s still tossing all the chicks about together. It’s so surprising though cos they are both still in and out feeding more than enough times, I was even thinking it was the mealworms that was no good, it has to be the food!, because there is no reason for them to be dying!!! This is maybe why she’s trying to feed something else & trying to keep them alive with something rather than nothing maybe she has a mother’s instinct (& I’m calling her!) Something else which was strange last night..... I leave the tv on in kitchen up until we go to bed! So I can still watch and listen to her ruffling them about!!, Firstly she was really, really agitated, hopping on & off the nest, up & down from the hole, (Zorro had already gone to bed by now) secondly she was still going out for food up until 9.30 ! . Then at 11.30 I heard an almighty Squawk!! I ran into the kitchen and she was perched over the cup with her wings and tail feathers splayed out There wasn’t any reason to have caused her to do this, then when I got up today, I noticed only 6 chicks on view, then I got to thinking, was the squawk last night when she maybe lost another chick and this was an equivalent of a scream???!!!! I don’t know, maybe I’m overthinking, but I know things are definitely not right!!! will see what develops over next few days Elle xx p.s sorry for long post
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Post by blueeyedchick on May 20, 2019 7:51:32 GMT
Oh elle that behaviour is odd to say the least, couldn't have been a predator that she was worried about at that time of night surely. Wonder why chicks are dying when they have our food to fall back on. Maybe dehydration, competition in the nest doubt we shall ever know. One thing I am sure of is that we are helpless it's all out of our control. Survival of the fittest isn't it? Hope things settle down for you and your chicks soon.
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Post by suep on May 20, 2019 8:52:51 GMT
Oh Elle, there’s me wallowing in self pity when you have also got problems going on. Very strange behaviour - maybe a cat or night predator on the box that was worrying her. Have you been able to see how many live chicks this morning? I really hope there are no more casualties. . It is strange that some birds know instinctively what to do whilst others flounder re feeding etc, but I guess it’s the same in all the animal world including we humans. Hope things settle and the remaining chicks thrive and fledge successfully . Sue
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Post by sammi on May 20, 2019 9:09:30 GMT
Oh Elle so sorry things are not going so well. The squawk must have been pretty disturbing. I've no sound recorded on mine so I would miss any alarm calls. Hope things pick up for them. I hope they stay safe now and get to fledge.
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Post by YorksherLass on May 20, 2019 15:21:37 GMT
Just catching up with your news Elle & yet again you are another one who has lost one or two chicks!
It's horrible not knowing what's happened, why she squawked like that at that time, my heart goes out to you too. I hope nothing else happens to the rest of the
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Post by hfriel on May 20, 2019 19:24:46 GMT
Oh Elle that was very disturbing, particularly when you don’t know what caused the problem, possibly a cat!!
How are things today?
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 20, 2019 20:22:19 GMT
If I remember correctly (and Elle hasn't done a box change over autumn) Elle box is right up by her bedroom window high on the house wall, So probably not a cat unless its spiderman! Very weird though Elle wonder what caused it? I don't think anything could of got to your box at that time night where it is and things could it?
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Post by elle on May 20, 2019 23:21:40 GMT
Thanks all for your kind comments Today I have 6 chicks left, so fingers are crossed I don’t loose anymore It’s been really hard to try and understand what’s causing them to be healthy one minute then just gone the next!!!! You are exactly right Paul, my nest box is very high up so don’t know what the hell caused her to behave in such a way! I don’t ever want to hear that squark again, it was really an awful sound i got got a snap of a couple of big ones out the nest today, they soon went back when they realised Poppy wouldn’t feed them unless they were in bed!! Also so one of Poppy from a couple of days ago Will see see what tomorrow brings, I will be glad when the season is over this year, and I have never felt this way before Elle xx
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 21, 2019 0:18:10 GMT
I thought it was high up on the house wall Elle, Rules out cat or anything else. This happened to 2 of mine the other day, All 7 very healthy getting well fed because dads bringing natural food in and Tatty is using waxworms / mealworms. Woke up next day and I was down to 5, I thought what the f**k happened??? They was well fed and healthy! I am beginning to wonder if the male brought something live in that had ate something with poison on, Things like weed killer or something like that. It is the only thing I could possibly imagine happening for me to have 2 chicks die, Bare in mind the chicks are fully feather we aren't talking babies no more in the danger zone of death. I was saying the same thing in my thread the other day Elle, I love this time of year but honestly its been problem after problem this year. I am really looking forward to it coming to an end and the worry to stop could be a long time for me though sparrow is currently laying brood 2 (the new pair) and last year they had 3 broods taking me to late July. 2019 hasn't been a great year, I have my fingers crossed for your remaining chicks. Its so stange this year though how we are having deaths off healthy well fed chicks isn't it? We are all having this happen surely that isn't normal?
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Post by suep on May 21, 2019 8:11:56 GMT
Elle, what lovely pictures, thank you for posting. So hope the rest of yours keep going strong. Think we have all had enough troubles this year. I cant stop looking at my box expecting to see parents about - habit now . On a light note it looks like Malcolm’s chicks have fledged in one box and are ready for the off in the other. Good numbers but even he lost three without any sign of anything wrong. Let’s all Really hope no more tragedies - only positive and good news for the rest of the season. Sue
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Post by elle on May 21, 2019 22:47:05 GMT
It is a quandary Paul Wonder what Chris Packham would have to say on Springwatch??? I still have 6 chicks today Sue/Paul so that’s a positive However, there is still one I’m rooting for, who is a little smaller than the others, at the moment I’m taking it a day at a time and not taking anything for granted!! Everyone who comes to visit are counting them at every opportunity Elle xx
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 21, 2019 23:12:07 GMT
Really pleased the other 6 still doing good for you Elle
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Post by blueeyedchick on May 22, 2019 7:43:19 GMT
Fingers crossed for your 6 chicks elle seems to be not a good year for BT's. Here it's lack of caterpillars, great for the first week then plummeting. Over all though some nests will be 100% successful and other not so so maybe nature evens it out. Thinking of you.
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Post by YorksherLass on May 23, 2019 9:59:41 GMT
Thanks Elle for the update and the two piccies you put on a couple of days ago. I'm pleased you've still got six chicks & good luck to the smaller one - hope they all make it.
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Post by elle on May 23, 2019 21:42:34 GMT
Everything still going ok Don’t want to say too much, don’t want to tempt fate Due to fledge about 27th Elle xx
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Post by suep on May 24, 2019 8:21:53 GMT
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Post by blueeyedchick on May 24, 2019 12:28:54 GMT
Fingers crossed from me too elle. I worry when they are in the box and when they are out of it -for a while anyway!
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Post by YorksherLass on May 25, 2019 14:29:07 GMT
Yes, definitely at least 50 times Elle!
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Post by elle on May 25, 2019 21:59:11 GMT
Still have 6 chicks, which is fantastic but I’m afraid something is happening to my picture, I don’t know whether it is condensation building up or what? I never had this trouble last year and it was far more hotter than it has been so I don’t have a clue surely the camara can’t be knackered! Im worried I’m gonna loose picture, and miss them taking the leap The picture is nice & clear in infrared on a night. As you will see from pics The little one in the middle is a worry, think I might loose this one before fledging, I’m really rooting for him/her but his greedy siblings keep pushing it out the way at feed times Elle xx
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