It's Time to Say Goodbye!

It's time to wave goodbye to Lola and our four chicks.


Lola's four chicks spent their last night in the nest box alone.

She arrived with some breakfast just before 5:25am.

Lola and her brood.

At 6:56am we have our very last capture of Lola and her chicks all together.
"Come back, Mum!"

At 6:57am Chick One takes the plunge. You can just see the chick's tail as it sits in the entrance hole.

Chick One has left the building! His three siblings remain.

Lola arrives in the box immediately after Chick One has fledged with a small amount of food.

Another chick jumps up to the entrance hole once Lola has left. This is the chick which can be seen sat in the nest cup in the above three pictures.

This chick didn't quite have the courage this time, and jumped back down to the nest. Lola returns to the nest to three rather bemused chicks.

Who's going to be next?

The second chick to fledge did so at 7:20am - twenty two minutes after the first. This chick is the one on the far right of the above picture. Off he goes!

Once Chick Two had fledged, Lola was very quick to arrive again. The chicks probably need reassurance and encouragement from Mum!

The third chick hasn't fledged already, has it?!!


Nah! They they are! Our last two chicks in the nest. The other one was hidden from view.

But it wasn't long before Chick Three decided it was time to take the plunge. All the time, as the chicks have been leaving the box, Lola has been on the fence just a few feet away calling them out. Is Chick Three ready? It has been forty minutes since the first chick fledged.

Nope! Chick Three needed a bit more encouragement. Lola came back to the nest for a few seconds with a sunflower heart.

And this time Chick Three was ready! Off he (or she!) goes with help from Lola calling outside...
...leaving our last chick all alone for the very first time. "Where's everyone gone?"

But here's Mum again with a little bit of food.

"Come on, time to go!"

"I'm scared!"...

But he's ready to go. "Mum! Here I come!"

I saw the final two chicks leave the box. The last one to leave took his maiden flight right over my head and flew to a garden not too far away to join his Mum and siblings. Although this is the end of our story, it's certainly not the end for Lola: she now has to look after them on the outside for up to four weeks until they are fully independent. Good luck, Lola & chicks!

They've all gone, Lola, remember?

Still at Home!

I wasn't sure this morning what the state of play would be - would our four Great Tit chicks still be at home, or might they have fledged in the early hours before the lights were switched on? Looking in on them at 7:30am, they were all present and correct! It has rained, again, for most of the day, but by late afternoon the sun was out and it was considerably warmer.

They're thinking about it!
But no. It's just too scary out there!

A huge beak full for one chick. It took a while to get that one down, whatever it was.

Contemplating life on the outside?

Lola with a squished sunflower heart. It's a week today since her mate Charlie went missing. Sleepy is awake in this picture - he's the one facing forward with his beak wide open.

Sleepy gets trampled on and squished by the others quite often. He's just visible underneath the chick at the top. Will he be the last to leave the nest?

Lights off early tonight and they are still very active. Lots of preening and wing stretching and flapping.

Ready for the Off?

Was today the last day in the nest box for our chicks?

Our four chicks

Some breakfast from Lola.




Three chicks with the fourth, who I've called Sleepy, tucked into the back of the nest cup.

There has been a lot of activity from the chicks this evening. I am sure that we will be waving goodbye to them tomorrow.

Seventeen Days Old!

Charlie was last seen on Wednesday morning (23rd), so this is Lola's fifth full day working alone.






More wing flapping

"Look what I can do, Mum!"



I think they're in for a shock when they leave the warmth of the nest box this week!



Getting preening tips from his sibling?!




Almost ready to settle down for the night. Lola hasn't yet left the chicks alone overnight.

Lights out now. Lola can be seen asleep at the back here (9:05pm), while one chick has a late night!

The Quieter Chicks are Doing Well!

The quieter chicks have really picked up today. All four are preening, stretching and wing flapping. They are getting ready to leave home!

A soaked Lola on a very rainy day.

S-t-r-e-t-c-h.

Wing flapping.

Forming an orderly queue to leave?

Nah! They're happy where they are for today.


Another stretch.

What a Difference a Week Makes...

Day one.Day seven.
Day fourteen.

Lola's Still Working Hard

We've been out all day today so I've not seen much live footage from the nest box camera. I checked the playback footage when we returned and all seems in order. We still have four chicks and Lola has been making regular visits with food. Just like the past couple of days, two chicks seem strong and healthy and the other two are less active and don't beg for food as often as the others.

Lola's day starts at 5am and ends at around 9:15pm when she settles down for the night with her chicks.

We're getting close to fledging now and it's normal for the female to stay away from the box overnight just before they all leave for the big wide world. I would expect that to happen within the next few nights, but the bad weather that is forecast might just persuade her to stay with the chicks.

Lola brings in a juicy moth.
Lola and her four chicks.


Nice colours when Lola blocks some of the natural light.

The two more active chicks, with the other two tucked at the back of the nest cup.

Ten minutes later and the third chick is ready for food.

All four gapes.

Lola leaving the box.

Happy Two Week Birthday, Chicks!

Our four remaining chicks are two weeks old today.

There is still no sign of Charlie, so Lola is now definitely doing this alone. There seems to have been a good amount of 'natural' food brought in today. I watched her repeatedly going back-and-forth to the same garden and dipping behind a fence, so she must have found a small bounty. It looked like spiders. Overall there has been a lot more insects brought in today: spiders, larvae & beetles. A lot of sunflower hearts are still being brought in, but hopefully the bugs and insects are enough too - and are providing the vital moisture that the chicks need. There must have been double the amount of food brought in today compared to yesterday.

As I type this (7:45pm), two chicks are looking strong, with two less so. One in particular seems quite lethargic but has been quite active for most of the day - he seemed to change at about 4pm.

I wonder what happened to Charlie?


Early morning confirmation that the four chicks are all alive, and seemingly well.


A Starling arrived and had a quick look in the nest box at 8:30am. The chicks were very quick to jump back in the nest cup where they stayed motionless until Lola arrived a minute-or-so later.

A stretch of the wings.

Three out, and one in. Chance to see how far on they now are - perfect little Great Tits with stumpy tails!

Just before 10am the Starling came back to look in the nest box. This time Lola was already in the box and stayed on top of her chicks until it had gone again (once I'd scared it away!).

Bum cleaning time.





Primaries look ready!

"Four in the bed and the little one said..."

This time we had more than just a stretch - this was the first time I'd seen any wing flapping in the nest. They're starting to exercise their wings ready for their first flight.

Another visit from a Starling at 14:50pm. Lola stayed until the coast was clear. She's busy feeding these chicks on her own now, so I'm trying to help her by scaring off the Starlings. Our neighbours must think I'm mad.

Heart shaped nest cup.

Two Down

The smallest two of the brood, Potato and Neeps, have died overnight. As the chicks were quite well developed (12 days old) Lola was unable to remove them from the box easily. The bodies do appear to have been removed now, though I won't bother describing the way in which this was achieved.

The remaining four chicks. The one shown here with his beak closed appears to be struggling.






Lola preparing a sunflower heart to take to the nest - ignoring the mealworms.

It's windy!

Also rather worrying is the fact that Charlie hasn't been seen at all today. He hasn't been in the garden or the nest box.

Lola found the mealworms this afternoon, but she has shown no interest in them.

Twelve Days Old

Another long day for Charlie & Lola. This is day 12 for the chicks (day 11 for Potato!). Fledging usually happens sometime between days 16 & 22, so, if all goes to plan, we could be waving goodbye as early as this Sunday, though I suspect it will more likely happen mid-week.

Lola left the nest just before 5:00am. The chicks are looking strong and healthy.

Charlie was quick to arrive - confirmation that he's still around!

Lola took a short break at 5:10am. Maybe she decided it was just too early!

The six chicks are starting to look like mini versions of their parents now.

Charlie and Lola both waiting for a faecal sac. They ended up ripping one in half in the effort to remove it!

Charlie with his half!


The wing feathers are coming on at an amazing rate.

This was the first chick to leave the nest cup today - he didn't stay out long, though - he jumped straight back in after a couple of minutes. Potato is at the back - he remains less active, and less vocal in begging for food, than the rest.

A massive caterpillar for one chick, and there's another chick out of the nest cup.

One chick has taken pole position below the entrance hole - you can just see his back at the very bottom of the picture. It's not obvious from this image, but there is another chick on his left.

Lola doing the daily housekeeping chores.



Four out, two in. The two left behind are the smallest chicks, Neeps & Potato. The all made their way back in to the nest cup eventually.

Lola with a spider.

My mealworm order arrived this morning, and although I haven't actually hidden them, they are still waiting to be found! In the two photos above, Lola is about 18" away from them. They have been there for eleven hours unnoticed and untouched!

Tuesday

The BTO are reporting high numbers of nest box broods being wiped out this year, seemingly due to a lack of suitable food. I don't know yet whether this is affecting just Blue Tits, but I have noted a significant drop in food being brought to our nest box over the past two days. Today, for example, we've seen plenty of visits from Charlie & Lola but that included a high number of 'no food' visits. I've also seen an increase in 'dry' food being brought in: things like sunflower hearts and peanuts, which contain no moisture for the chicks. (I assume they are both still around - Lola certainly is and some quick-fire visits suggests Charlie is, too, but I'll check that tomorrow) Both Blue Tit broods at Malcolm & Elizabeth's Bluetit Pages died in the first few days following hatching, but their Great Tit brood fledged successfully. And a number of their visitors are reporting the same thing. One Blue Tit brood died at almost two weeks old and the BTO informed this lady that chicks need an average of 100 caterpillars a day EACH! Ours are getting nothing like that amount!

So, we still have six hungry mouths...

A yawn.




It's like something from a horror film!

One of the parents waiting for a faecal sac... which never arrived!

Fluffy heads

Lola arrived back at the nest at 9:05pm to brood her chicks overnight.

And because I'm a soft touch, the mealworms are on order.

A Squash and a Squeeze

There is enough natural light now to see into the nest box at 4:40a.m. Lola first left this morning at 4:53a.m.


The warmest day since the chicks hatched saw a couple of them leave the nest cup for the first time. Perhaps they were trying to cool down a bit. It must get very warm in there with all that wool.

This was the first chick to jump ship.

And, of course, when one does it another has to copy. This time, though, the chick wasn't quite so keen, and after thirty seconds it dived straight back into the nest cup in one swift movement.

Five in, and one out (bottom left-hand corner).

Stretching up high for food, the stray chick fell backwards and back into the nest cup five hours after he left it. This picture clearly shows how the feathers have come on it the past two days - and we can see where the black chest stripe will be.
The six of them - safely in the nest cup.

Saturday

I had a some extra time to look through the early morning images from the nest camera today as I stayed in to watch the FA Cup final while the men of the place went shopping :o)

We are getting around 13,000 images an hour, by the way - that's a lot of footage to go through!

An early morning stretch from one of the chicks.

How can this be comfortable?!

Lola carries out some housekeeping. The odd poo does get missed and these searches of the bottom of the nest ensure things keep nice and clean.

Despite all the wriggling going on underneath her, Lola does manage to rest - but not for long!

The six chicks.

No feathers yet but they're well on the way.

Lola waiting for the faecal sac to appear following a feed.

Charlie & Lola and their brood.

A spider for lunch.

Another good shot of the wings.


Lola finally manages to rest for a while.


...But three minutes later.



5:30p.m. and they're still asking for food.

Six gapes begging for food from the squeaky garage door after I've been in to turn the lights off.

Finally, after a fifteen-hour day, Lola gets to settle down and relax until it starts all over again tomorrow morning.

One Week Old!

Lola with a couple of chicks poking out from underneath...

...In this picture, I think the one below Lola's beak is Potato

This is the reaction we usually get to the squeaky door at the back of the garage being opened and closed. I had just been out there to switch the lights on in the box.

Come on, Potato! We get more four and five gape views than six. Potato is getting fed regularly but he needs to be a bit more vocal. The parents seem to feed the more animated chicks first.

Here's a picture to show how their wings are coming along. You can just make out where the feathers will be.

Here they are today...

and here they are seven days ago...

That's quite a difference!

Another Day in the Nest Box

I've got my days sorted out now! I've been a day or two ahead of myself all week and getting my days mixed up. Must be getting old.

Lola started feeding her brood at 5:25a.m. She was making such a quick succession of deliveries of food that she must have been finding it all in the garden. Charlie first arrived at 6:18a.m.

Five of the six. The other chick, who I'll introduce later, doesn't ask for food as often as his brothers and sisters. I said earlier that their eyes will open fully at around 8-9 days old which takes us to the weekend.

Lola on a break, and keeping her brood warm.

She jumps up quickly as soon as Charlie arrives with some food.

Are they looking in wonderment here, or are they slightly bemused?




Each feed seems to be followed by the removal of a faecal sac.

Lola takes this one out, rather than eating it.

The chick in the middle is the smallest of the brood. I assume he was the last one to hatch (on the Saturday rather than the Friday). Meet Potato! Why Potato? My three-year-old nephew Jack said one of the chicks should be called Potato. As Potato's siblings are slightly bigger and stronger they seem to get the bulk of the food. Poor little Potato gets trampled on quite a bit.

They still look tiny when they're all bundled up.

Settling down for the night.

Four Days Old

(edit: I've corrected the title of this post - they are four days here, not five. Oops!)

Pie funnels.

All of a sudden the food got bigger today. I can't believe a tiny chick can manage one of these - but they can!

Lola peering outside.

A clear shot showing the chicks' eyes are just starting to open. They should be fully open by Friday or Saturday. This is Lola feeding. One in...

...And one out!

There always seems to be a feeding frenzy between 7p.m. and 8p.m., just before everyone settles down for the night.

A couple of outside shots of Charlie (taken through the window as usual).

How Much Food?!

Didn't have to wait long for a view of all six chicks today as the playback showed them all alive, and apparently well, at 6:44a.m. Feeding started early again, with Charlie arriving at 5:17a.m.

Today has been the first day since the chicks hatched where we've had some sun.

Looking through the playback on "fast forward" has shown that today Charlie & Lola have made a staggering 185 deliveries of food to their brood of chicks!

Headcount time!

It must be terribly uncomfortable brooding six wriggly chicks!
If Lola is away when Charlie arrives, he gets on with the job himself.

Sometimes they arrive together. Lola's on the right here.

Here's how the parents deal with a dirty bum... The chick raises its bum in the air and produces a faecal sac which is then removed by mum or dad and deposited away from the nest. Good housekeeping, too! Charlie dealt with this one. Occasionally, the fecal sack will be eaten by Charlie or Lola.

Group hug!

Day Three

It was day three for a majority of the Great Tit chicks today, and all six of them seem to be doing well. Charlie's first visit to the nest was at a very early 5:04am and his last visit was 7:21pm!

We are now seeing more of this... which makes the headcounts nice and easy!