My first chicks of the year hatched today. The great tit in the Discovery nest box started hatching this afternoon and I first noticed when the female started removing egg shell halves from the nest. So far, I think three of the five eggs have hatched and the chicks are minute, pink and very wriggly! From the very start, their gapes are clear and their instinct means that they open wide and ‘gape’ whenever there is movement. The male has been bringing food in for the female all day and she now takes it from the male and attempts to feed it to the chicks. Some of the caterpillars being brought in are almost as big as the chicks though! It is quite comical to watch the birds with a huge grub, trying to decide how to cram it into a tiny mouth. It is so amazing to see and I have been captivated all afternoon. Below are some screen shots from this afternoon.
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