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.
Monday, 6 June 2011
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.
Friday, 20 May 2011
The "cute" stage
The Blue Tit's are growing fast. They are reaching the stage were the are looking like very cute fluffy Blue Tit's. Mum has also stopped roosting with them overnight as they are now too big for her to sit on them. So they are curling up together in the nestbox.
Last night they couldn't settle at all and the eldest chick was fidgeting like mad. I suspect that those growing feathers really itch.
There is now a size difference between the first and last chick to hatch. However the youngest is doing well and doesn't seem that far behind. Mum and dad are ensuring that they are all fed.
Now the feathers are appearing they need to strengthen the wing muscles ready for that first flight. Without a nest camera this is something that you never get to see:
It won't be long and they will be leaving the nestbox. They have started today (20th May) to roam around the whole of the nestbox. They stay in the nest 18-21 days. Now the first chick hatched on 3rd May and the last on 5th May. I would hope that the time for fledging is taken from the last chick hatching but it has been warm and dry here plus the chicks have been stuffed full of mealworms and caterpillars by their parents.
So they could fledge anytime after Saturday 21st May. I am hoping that they will fledge at the weekend but I suspect they will wait until I am back at work on Monday. I hope to be able to set up an outside camera so that when they do fledge it is possible to have video footage from inside and outside the nestbox.
As the camera will be on 24/7 over the next few days (I missed the fledging last year and don't intend to do the same this year) I won't be able to update the blog until after they have gone.
There is now a size difference between the first and last chick to hatch. However the youngest is doing well and doesn't seem that far behind. Mum and dad are ensuring that they are all fed.
Now the feathers are appearing they need to strengthen the wing muscles ready for that first flight. Without a nest camera this is something that you never get to see:
It won't be long and they will be leaving the nestbox. They have started today (20th May) to roam around the whole of the nestbox. They stay in the nest 18-21 days. Now the first chick hatched on 3rd May and the last on 5th May. I would hope that the time for fledging is taken from the last chick hatching but it has been warm and dry here plus the chicks have been stuffed full of mealworms and caterpillars by their parents.
So they could fledge anytime after Saturday 21st May. I am hoping that they will fledge at the weekend but I suspect they will wait until I am back at work on Monday. I hope to be able to set up an outside camera so that when they do fledge it is possible to have video footage from inside and outside the nestbox.
As the camera will be on 24/7 over the next few days (I missed the fledging last year and don't intend to do the same this year) I won't be able to update the blog until after they have gone.
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