CHICKS EVERYWHERE

The garden has been filled with chicks recently, both in and out of the nest boxes.

For several days the garden was home to foraging robin chicks, all closely followed by at least one parent.

They didn’t appear frightened by the increasing amount of foot traffic around the garden, disappearing into the bushes while humans were about, before returning to the garden once the all clear was given.

The nest box that’s been used every year since it was put up, has proven successful again, and the great tits that I witnessed ‘reserving’ the prime nesting position in the garden, are the proud parents.

I suspect they may well fledge from Sunday onwards, but with cooler conditions currently setting in, they may wait until early next week when it’s due to be a bit warmer.

I bought the first batch of mealworms, which the robins, great tits and house sparrows made use of. Unfortunately, the magpies raided the storage container early one morning and hoovered the rest up.

Another batch has arrived, and this time the magpies had better stay clear!

The house sparrows have also got a brood of newly fledged chicks, although I don’t know where their nest is.

Finally, the swallows have been seen mating on telephone wires above the garden, so they are obviously content to be back and ready for another family.

There’s not much action in the pond, although the flora is definitely blooming.

CHICKS ON THE GROUND

April ended in typical April fashion, with cooler and wetter weather.

But, unlike last year when we had glorious sunshine and warm weather, May started with distinctly cooler and wetter conditions.

However, despite this there have been several new additions to the garden; all seen in the last few days.

A number of robin chicks, with their distinct mottled chests, have been in and around the garden, feeding on small invertebrates.

While the most seen in one go has been two, I suspect there are at least a couple more.

One of the parents has always been around, looking for danger and sometimes helping find food.

There have also been a few sightings of blackbird chicks, although not in the same numbers as the robins.

The blue tits are still hanging around, although where they are nesting is unknown – I suspect it’s not anywhere near the garden.

The great tit pair in the garden are now showing any signs of having chicks, but with the cameras now working it’s difficult to know.

I’m not hearing the tell-tale signs, but this might be because the parents are still on eggs.

Given the new chicks, and suspected other birds with at least built nests, if not eggs, the first order of mealworms has been placed.

I’m hoping to be able to test whether there are any newly hatched chicks when the mealworms are placed out later this week.

If the adult birds aren’t feeding on the mealworms, and instead gathering a beak full of them, I’ll then try and track them to the nests.

With the BBC’s Springwatch programme not far away, I do hope the weather warms up and helps us see lots of growing wildlife.