Blue Tit Chicks Gone
After a day out yesterday, I arrived home in time to get my guinea fowl and Hatty the Hen in for the night. Once locked up safely in their hut I did my usual hunt for guinea fowl eggs.
When I entered the garden I noticed the lid to the nest box was on the floor. I quickly stood on the garden chair to look inside to check on the blue tit chicks but they had gone. I replaced the lid and sadly pondered what had taken the blue tit chicks. I knew that they had not fledged as they take between 13 - 15 days to leave the nest and I knew that this amount of time had not past since I saw the eggs and the beaks of the chicks.
I will never know what took the little defenseless chicks and can only guess that it was one of the many magpies that are circling our fields and now the garden. I am going to nail down the lid to the old nest box so that this does not happen again.
Birds Blue Tits Chicks Farm Wildlife Magpie Nest Box
What a shame, Sara. Hopefully the parents will have another go.
Comment by Cottage Smallholder — June 1, 2007 @ 7:17 am
Hi Cottage Smallholder,
Yes it was upsetting to find the nest box empty. Let’s hope they try again like you say.
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Sara @ Farming Friends
Comment by Sara @ Farming Friends — June 1, 2007 @ 7:59 am