Great Tit nest box in Belfast - Hatching

[Brendan]

Taken by surprise today. Did not expect hatching to start until next week.
So far only able to confirm one chick.
Camera is definitly at wrong angle to view nesting cup.
Attached pics are best I can get today.

Regards,
Brendan

[sallyh]

Those pics are brilliant, I just love the last one, it's gorgeous

Sally
xx

[Georgieone]

How absolutely wonderful - Thank you so much for sharing them - I've never seen that before.

[Brendan]

Some more Pics today.

Will probably not know with certainty the total number of chicks for perhaps another week when some growth will have taken place.

Regards,
Brendan

[Georgieone]

It's just marvellous to look at - and to see the open beaks in such tiny bird.

[Gandalf]

How absolutely wonderful - Thank you so much for sharing them - I've never seen that before.

I second that opinion - I havn't either. Absolutely marvellous!

Cheers,

[Brendan]

Thanks for your comments.

After again checking through all today's pics it now seems that seven chicks will be the final total.

Will post again later in the week when chicks have grown a bit.

Regards,
Brendan

[SCRUMPY]

How lovely to be able to watch on a daily basis and see them growing. They are so sweet, to see 7 little open beaks!:)

Great pictures, look forward to seeing more as they grow!:D

[sallyh]

Awesome pics Brendan, I'm really looking forward to further installments.
Many thanks
Sally xx

[Brendan]

These chicks seem to be growing faster than Jack's beanstalk. All seven chicks are thriving and already beginning to show traces of initial feathering growth. Both parents are working flat out keeping them fed. Insect food seems to be in good supply as absences from nest are of very short duration. Here unfeathered chicks are known as 'Scaldies', What are they called in your area?

Regards,
Brendan

[SCRUMPY]

What fantastic pics of the chicks and you're right - they are growing so quickly:)

It really is incredible how much they change on a daily basis isn't it?

Look forward to the next lot of pics:D

[debbee]

These pic's are amazing!! reminds me of when my dad and me use to bread birds. I loved seeing the chicks all bald with there funny eye's. Ah.. Soooo Glad you have shared these pic's!!

[Brendan]

More pics from today, Thursday 11th. All seven chicks doing well and still thriving, eyes not open yet.

First pic is first detected movement at entrance hole this morning showing the early riser (mother bird) departing.

Regards,
Brendan

[Brendan]

More pics from today, Thursday 11th. (2)

Regards,
Brendan

[Brendan]

Final set of pics for Thursday.

Note chick in second pic has jumped up and almost out of the nest cup as a parent left the nest box. This is reminiscent of how a chick of approx the same age was lost last year, it managed to get clear of the nest cup but failed to wriggle back in. It's wrigglings only resulted in it moving further away from the nest cup to the far corner. The mother bird ignored the plight of this chick and attended only to the remaining chicks in the nest cup and by next morning it had chilled and died. The only attention paid to it by the mother bird was by removing it's body from the nest box.

Hopefully no losses will occur this year.

Regards,
Brendan

[Brendan]

Thursday, 11th?

My clock must be running a day late this week.

Brendan

[debbee]

These are amazing, Thank you! :)

[SCRUMPY]

Yes, thanks Brendan.
What smashing pics! The babies look so big already.
They really do rear up when the parent comes with the food, I guess wanting to be the chosen one to receive the food.

They are coming along nicely:D

[Brendan]

Was away all day and only this evening have had a chance view the i-Catcher archive of today's happenings. I had thought the nestbox to be proof against cat predation due to the cover of ivy and sycamore leaves but today a cat did manage to find the nestbox and five times inserted a paw. Happily all seven chicks and both parents did not come to any harm.

The first two pics show the cat's paw probing into the nestbox - it's white and somewhat faint in the infrared. Notice how the chicks stay motionless and well down in the nest cup whilst there is danger. The third pic shows the chicks in their more relaxed mode when they feel safe again. Remaining pics are the normal pics of chicks feeding.

Regards,
Brendan

[Brendan]

Some more pics.

Regards,
Brendan

[Georgieone]

This really is a fantastic thread to watch - All I can say is "Thank-you".

[Gandalf]

Superb series! Joy to see and brilliant to watch!

Cheers,

[Brendan]

Thanks for your comments, very much appreciated.

Five more pics from today. The chicks are feathering nicely, eyes are open, and they mob the parent birds each time they arrive with food.

regards,
Brendan

[Brendan]

That cat has been back again, I think it is jumping from a wall next door onto the roof of the nest box.

Two pics, one of cat's paw again and the other showing the nestbox. I am going to put some blackthorn cuttings on the roof and hope the thorns will deter the animal.

Regards,
Brendan

[Maisie]

I'm really enjoying these nest box photos! I hope you can find a way to deter the cat.

[sallyh]

These are awesome photos, many thanks indeed

[Brendan]

Birds still doing well. Parent birds busy all day as usual. Commencing tuesday night (last night) the mother bird ceased brooding the chicks although she still remains in the nestbox at with them at night.

First and third pics are the hen bird and chicks asleep last night and tonight. Second pic is of the chicks today - feathering is proceeding fast.

Regards,
Brendan

[Brendan]

The nest is getting to be very crowded now. The cat has stayed away for the past two days however their greatest danger will be when they depart the nest box in a few days time.

Regards,
Brendan

[Brendan]

Chicks still growing but am now not seeing any more than five chicks at any one time. Hoping that they are only just out of view at feeding times. Mother bird still stays in nest at night. Fledging cannot be far away now - perhaps in next couple of days. Cat still seems to be staying away from nestbox.

Latest pics below. Glass division getting dirty due to bird's feathers brushing against it.

Regards,
Brendan

[SCRUMPY]

Wow!!!
They look so big now.

It has been lovely watching them grow up. Hope the cat keeps away when they leave the nest:mad:

Can they fly immediately they leave the nest or will they be grounded for a couple of days before they can fly:confused:


I've really enjoyed your pics Brendan:)

[sallyh]

I'm so pleased to see all these wonderful pics, thank you so much Brendan

[Brendan]

For past couple of days have only given cursory attention to nestbox until today. Chicks are going to the box entrance and looking out at intervals but as far as I can tell none have left yet.

The number of active chicks has dramatically decreased and I suspect that bodies are lying in the bottom of the nest cup. I saw one of the chicks die this morning - it had previously been quite active then became lethargic and finally stopped moving. Don't know what caused death, it might be starvation as I have noticed that the parents although visiting frequently are apparently not supplying insects in the same size and quantity as previously.

When they do leave the nest their flying capabilities are almost non-existant. It takes a few days to master the art of flying (I don'y know how long) and, in that time, they are very easy prey to predators especially, in an urban setting, to cats and consequently losses must be expected.

Regards,
Brendan

[Brendan]

Only four chicks still alive since last posting. Last night was first night the hen bird did not remain in the nest.

Fledging commenced this morning. First chick departing at 5:24 am. Second chick going at 4:08 pm. Am expecting remaining two chicks to depart shortly.

Pic shows second fledgling minutes after leaving the nest. It was last seen on the ground directly under the nestbox. That end of the garden has been left unmowed so far this year so it should have some cover as a protection from cats and magpies.

Regards,
Brendan

[Georgieone]

Of all "STUPID THOUGHTS" I want to go and cuddle it - Crackers I know. Thank you so much for showing us these.

[Brendan]

Third chick departed 9:05 last evening and fourth chick left at 10:30 this morning. Sorry, no pics this time.

Will be disassembling the camera and putting it to other use, probably at bird table for a while - might even get a better colour model. Cleaning out the nestbox next week before ivy growth makes it well nigh impossible - The glass partition has got incredibly dirty over the past few days.

Thanks for all your kind remarks, much appreciated.

Regards,
Brendan

[Georgieone]

Thank you Brenday for your time and thoughtfulness in posting those pictures - they have been lovely - wonderful.

[70007]

Wow!!!
They look so big now.

It has been lovely watching them grow up. Hope the cat keeps away when they leave the nest:mad:

Can they fly immediately they leave the nest or will they be grounded for a couple of days before they can fly:confused:


I've really enjoyed your pics Brendan:)

So have I. Thanks very much.

[barn owl]

oh yes this is really good, well done and thanx for the view inside the box. owl.

[Gandalf]

Fantastic series. Thank you.