Sorry all for the delay in updating. However it's been fairly quiet in the garden (except for the birds eating huge amounts of food) plus it won't stop raining which causes problems with the cameras.
I've been playing about with the cameras and now have sound on the outside camera plus I have set up a mini camera inside the hedgehog feeding station. The mini camera has only been out a couple of times as the 20 metre cable for it is too short and this has resulted in it having to be taped across the car park which is not ideal. A new 50 metre cable has arrived so I can now play about with the best position for the camera.
Below is the first footage taken inside the feeding station.
As you can tell the camera and IR lights are round. I'm going to move the camera to different parts of the box to see if I can get a better view. The longer cable will enable this to be done.
As you can also see Mrs Hog is now fairly large.
Below is the outside camera now with sound. You will see Mrs Hog eating from the fox food bowls and then another (suspect male) hog arrives. She doesn't exactly welcome him. The sound makes the video sequence more interesting.
Friday 22 July 2011
Monday 6 June 2011
Videos of fledging
Sorry it has been so long in getting the fledging videos posted. But they've now been edited. I had cameras set up inside and outside of the nest. The outside camera was subject to direct sunlight and fairly breezy weather but I did manage to capture the fledgings and the chicks looking out of the nest.
"warning - you can see the body of chick 4 in the nestcam videos"
Eldest chick looking out of the nestbox and nearly deciding to fledge. This was 22nd May 2011.
Eldest chick fledging as seen from inside the nestbox.
Eldest chick fledging from the nestbox. Eldest chick decided to go at 9pm on 22nd May 2011. The remaining 2 decided to stay in the nestbox overnight.
2nd chick fledging at 6.30am on 23rd May 2011.
Last chick leaving the nest just before 7am on 23rd May 2011.
As you can see from the footage outside the nestbox the 3rd chick sort of plummeted rather than flew. The two elder chicks flew straight across the garden to the apple tree. Chick 3 ended up on the ground behind the dustbin. I rescued chick 3 and put him/her in the bush at the edge of the garden. Mum found the chick and carried on feeding it.
That evening Mum was still coming in for worms and took them to the fur tree in next doors garden. I could see the chicks being fed. She carried on doing this for the next 2 days.
"warning - you can see the body of chick 4 in the nestcam videos"
Eldest chick looking out of the nestbox and nearly deciding to fledge. This was 22nd May 2011.
Eldest chick fledging as seen from inside the nestbox.
Eldest chick fledging from the nestbox. Eldest chick decided to go at 9pm on 22nd May 2011. The remaining 2 decided to stay in the nestbox overnight.
2nd chick fledging at 6.30am on 23rd May 2011.
Last chick leaving the nest just before 7am on 23rd May 2011.
As you can see from the footage outside the nestbox the 3rd chick sort of plummeted rather than flew. The two elder chicks flew straight across the garden to the apple tree. Chick 3 ended up on the ground behind the dustbin. I rescued chick 3 and put him/her in the bush at the edge of the garden. Mum found the chick and carried on feeding it.
That evening Mum was still coming in for worms and took them to the fur tree in next doors garden. I could see the chicks being fed. She carried on doing this for the next 2 days.
Vidoes of fledging
Sorry it has been so long in getting the fledging videos posted. But they've now been edited.
Monday 23 May 2011
Empty Nest Syndrome
Well the Blue Tit's have fledged. The eldest decided to leave the nest at 9pm on Sunday 22nd May 2011. Exactly the same time that last years Blue Tit's fledged that I missed. I didn't miss it this time as both cameras were running.
The remaining two stayed in the nest box over night. The next to fledge left at 6.30am. The last fledged just before 7am today (Monday 23rd May 2011). I was outside collecting in the hedgehog bowls when I saw the last chick leave the nest. It didn't really fly away from the box it was more of a plummet. It landed behind my bin and then decided to get itself stuck behind the wormery. So I had to rescue it and place it under cover in the Rhodie bush.
Yesterday I thought that it was mum that was missing and that only dad was feeding the chicks. Now I have had the chance to check the footage it is in fact the other way round. It is mum that has been on her own since last Friday.
Mum has been back for food and I have seen her take food to the Rhodie bush and to one of the other trees close by. So she clearly knows where they are.
I may see them again coming in for food but won't know for definate as all baby Blue Tit's look the same.
Good luck little one's.
I'll be editing the footage as soon as possible and posting the fledging on here. The nest cam did record chick 4 dying but I will not be posting that footage.
The remaining two stayed in the nest box over night. The next to fledge left at 6.30am. The last fledged just before 7am today (Monday 23rd May 2011). I was outside collecting in the hedgehog bowls when I saw the last chick leave the nest. It didn't really fly away from the box it was more of a plummet. It landed behind my bin and then decided to get itself stuck behind the wormery. So I had to rescue it and place it under cover in the Rhodie bush.
Yesterday I thought that it was mum that was missing and that only dad was feeding the chicks. Now I have had the chance to check the footage it is in fact the other way round. It is mum that has been on her own since last Friday.
Mum has been back for food and I have seen her take food to the Rhodie bush and to one of the other trees close by. So she clearly knows where they are.
I may see them again coming in for food but won't know for definate as all baby Blue Tit's look the same.
Good luck little one's.
I'll be editing the footage as soon as possible and posting the fledging on here. The nest cam did record chick 4 dying but I will not be posting that footage.
Sunday 22 May 2011
Not fledged yet.
The remaining 3 Blue Tit chicks are doing well. One of them has even been to the nest box entrance and had a look out. Don't think they will fledge today.
Worst news
I'm sorry to report that the youngest chick died at 10am this morning.
This does mean that when I post video footage of the remaining 3 chicks fledging you will be able to see the youngest chicks body. It is hard to see but this is the reality of these little birds lives. Only modern technology allows us to watch their lives and feel part of it.
This does mean that when I post video footage of the remaining 3 chicks fledging you will be able to see the youngest chicks body. It is hard to see but this is the reality of these little birds lives. Only modern technology allows us to watch their lives and feel part of it.
Not good news.
The Blue Tits haven't fledged yet. There is a problem. I've not seen mum since Friday morning. Due to this only dad has been feeding the chicks. This means that there is less food being taken to the chicks. As a result the youngest chick is struggling and I suspect will not make it.
This is the problem with cameras. You get to see events that normally you would know nothing about. You then have the dilemma of whether to interfere. The other 3 chicks are doing well. If I open the nestbox to rescue the youngest I run the risk of the other 3 fledging before their time. Therefore I have had to make the decision not to interfere and let nature take it's course.
I could be wrong and chick 4 could rally but I am not hopeful.
This is the problem with cameras. You get to see events that normally you would know nothing about. You then have the dilemma of whether to interfere. The other 3 chicks are doing well. If I open the nestbox to rescue the youngest I run the risk of the other 3 fledging before their time. Therefore I have had to make the decision not to interfere and let nature take it's course.
I could be wrong and chick 4 could rally but I am not hopeful.
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