So
today was another early start for Ben and Kate - but this will probably be
the
last one that we shall see this year!
Here
we have all eight chicks and a parent - which parent it is I am not quite
sure but it's standing in Ben's position!
At
5.23am an enterprising chick has a look out of the box.
It
is interesting to see that the parents are still keen to keep the nest site
clean.
Ben
has tried twice to get past the chick sitting on the nest box hole - both
times unsuccessfully! He still has the packet of poo though!
This
is Ben - not a chick! You can tell from the lack of yellow face
feathers and the generally tired and worn look about him!
The
chick (or another!) is back at the hole.
Finally,
he decides that now is the time to go and pushes himself out.
This
is the first chick to fledge. In spite of never having flown before,
he apparently manages it successfully!The time is 5.24am. One down, seven to go!
There
are now only seven chicks in the box. Although they seem subdued, they
aren't cowering in the nest cup as one brood we watched did after a chick
fledged!
It's
less than 30 seconds after the departure of the first chick and here is
another on the nest box hole - and it's getting fed as a reward!
This
is the last shot we have of the second chick's departure - only 45 seconds
after the first!
Six
chicks!
Less
than a minute after the second chick, a third looks as though it's on its
way!
At
5.26am the third chick departs!
There
are only five chicks left in the nest box now and one of them looks eager to
follow the others.
Here
we go!
If
you look carefully, you will see the departing fourth chick as a blurred
image in the bottom right of this picture!
There
are only four chicks left to fledge now. Only one is looking terrified
- but the other three seem quite relaxed about it all!
Chick
five is on its way!
There
she goes! There's no hesitation here is there?The time is 5.28am. Five chicks have fledged in 4 minutes!