So I google top 10 girls names in Essex for inspiration and I got THIS! Can't be right surely? Amelia Jessica Olivia Emily Lily Sophie Isabella Isla Mia Poppy All far too posh I reckon. I think a little bit of alliteration could be the way to go, so in a tribute to the amazing Traycy, chick number one is.........drumroll.........DarC
I don't know if the coal tits all survived. I shall have to ask my sister when I next talk to her. In other news, Shadow ran down a steep bank into a load of brush a few days ago, clearly found a nest. The parents were making a hell of a racket in the tree above. There was chirping when he got there and none when he left. I couldn't get to it because it was too steep and overgrown. On the plus side, he didn't come back licking his lips, so I'm hoping (pretending?) that they just decided to be quiet.
They're totes adorbs. Tracey and her hubby have done a great job to get seven fledglings out of nine eggs. Is that the final count? Love Tracey's poop disposal service.
There are eight puppies, so one egg didn't hatch although I never saw what happened. They are getting more and more confident moving around the nest now so I expect them to try and fly very soon. Today possibly?
It's looking a bit crowded in the whelping box, for sure! Lovely pups - let's hope their first outing goes well. Once they are out do they return to the box do you know? Or are they off into the big wide world on their own?
My family of blue tits down the garden fledged and went last weekend. It was lovely to see them poking their little heads out of the nest box hole, the day before they were due to go!
They don't return to the nest, Julie, but their parents continue to look after them for several days.
So if I see them having a look out the hole, they'll have a fly the following day? If I'm prepared I can try and film the first flight from the outside (obviously the nest cam only records inside)
I think so, yes. When I saw them, they looked like proper little birds. They obviously had to be quite strong to get up to the hole (the nest box was one of those longer, tall ones). So I think if you see them looking out, they are pretty much ready to go. I didnt actually see them fly, which was a shame..I was a bit worried about them, as I had seen jays and magpies in the garden, and would have loved to keep an eye until they were safely in the bushes. But it was not to be. I have seen them flying around though, peeping and flapping their little wings madly, bothering their parents for caterpillars!
Well, they've all gone I was up at 5.30 this morning. I fired up the PC and went and took Monts out and let the chickens out. I was back at the PC at about 5.50 and opened up the camera to find the nest empty except for one tiny chick and an unhatched egg. The little one, I named him Andy, was cheeping, clearly distressed that everyone had left him. He was a bit frantic around the nest and hopping up and looking out. I had to leave the house at 6.45 and he was still doing the same. I hadn't seen Traycee or her fella and was worried Andy would be left. Whilst I was driving to my meeting my wife called me all excited and said that Traycee had finally come back for him and encouraged him out. She caught it on video but I've not seen it yet. She said Andy was teeeeeny small. So hooray, they're all ok and fledged. Good luck little chicks. And booooo, they've all fledged! What am I going to do with my time now?! Quite sad
Great job, Traycee! And good luck little Andy!! How great that your wife caught Andy's departure on film. It must be sad to see them go.... But you will have a new family next year Maybe Traycee will be back for her next brood In the meantime you can put something on the outside to stop the bigger birds getting in next hatching season. When we've had bubs hatch in our yard (little insect eaters called Silvereyes) they still have quite short tails when they fledge, but otherwise look like grown ups.
I'm going to start work on building my own owl box for next year! And I'll adjust the camera focus so it's actually not blurry! It was really fascinating watching the whole thing. Really enjoyed it. Hopefully we'll be in our own more permanent home next year (this is just a temp rental after our purchase fell through). It will still be rural though hopefully.
I heard some familiar chirruping and spotted Andy and his siblings in the trees! They are tiny! Very windy here - hope they're all ok.
