Another weeks flies past and, with Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC just around the corner now, much of my time is spent in all the last minute preparations for that. It is a manic time and very stressful, especially when the stand you have designed is 18m x 9m and involves a huge amount of build and organisation. My sponsors, Severn Trent Water have been brilliant and I am sure we will pull it all together… just the lead up to a huge show like this take a massive amount of commitment. It is a fantastic show though and well worth a day out as the Good Food Show is there too! Two shows for the price of one!
My nest boxes are progressing well. It was only this week that I actually realised that I had seven chicks in the Lane Nest Box and not six! The nest material had been obscuring the chicks somewhat but they are now about a week and a half old and, with their feathers coming through, they are starting to burst out of the nest cup so they are easier to see now. The parents are excellent and feeding at an incredible rate, meaning these chicks are looking really good. Here is a clip from yesterday….
The great tit in the Hub nest box is still incubating and the male pops in regularly to feed her. She has built an enormous lip of fluff and fur all around her nest and looks very comfy in there!
She has one eye that she keeps closed most of the time… does not seem to affect her too much at the moment though.
The blue tit in the side box is incubating as well… at least six eggs and both of these nest boxes should have eggs hatching around the 6th June.
My new lit clay cavern has been attracting the smallest of the rat babies….. they can just about squeeze through the nest box protectors that I put on the outside… not for long though. I was watching the other night and one got stuck in the hole… with legs splaying , he struggled and just about got out! Pretty funny and there is a moment in this clip where it looks like the same might happen!
Finally, a new mouse appeared in Prickly Diner today…. he is just going to have to be called Dumbo… he has the biggest ears I have seen on a wood mouse!… see what you think!…
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