For first time in three years a blue tit family has layed their eggs in our school nest box.

Eight weeks ago a mother bird looked at the nest box and she decided that her chicks would grow up there.

She built the nest inside it and it took her two weeks. After that the female started laying the eggs day after day. She layed ten eggs in ten days. She had to incubate them for about twelve days.

Then two weeks ago seven chicks hatched. They were blind, they didn’t have any feathers and were tiny. For the two weeks the parents were busy going inside  and outside the nest box searching for food like caterpillars, spiders and other insects to feed their chicks. Now they are twice the size they were, they can see and are starting to flap their wings.

Unfortunately four of the chicks didn’t survive because they weren’t as strong as the others and didn’t get enough food.

Three of the chicks fledged safely and we hope they will come back again next year.

 

By Matylda

 

Timeline:

  • 19th April 2012- First egg laid
  • 27th April 2012- Ten eggs! Incubation begins!
  • 11th May 2012- Hatching begins,11:43 am
  • 14th May 2012- Seven healthy chicks so far!
  • 31st May 2012- Three surviving chicks fledge !

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