A stormy exit...

Time for a little update on the blue tits that have been using a nest-box in the garden. When we left them in my last update, they were all doing well and seemed close to being about ready to leave the nest.

As it happened, they were very close to leaving. In fact it was just the next day, I was watching the box and saw signs of the first one appearing at the entrance hole...

 It wasn't long before the temptation to leave became too strong, and out it came into the big, bad world: well, my garden at least...

 Followed quite soon after by most of the others...

Finally, tempted by the parents, who sat outside the nest calling and offering food should the youngsters emerge to get it, the last of the brood exited the nest box...

They hung around the garden for a while and I managed some phone pictures...

And so I can report that this year, the story had a happy ending: well, not exactly! You see they could not have picked a worse weather day to fledge. I guess they must have been out of the box for no more than a couple of hours, when the heavens opened and we had a downpour, followed by thunderstorms through the night. I did spot some of them in a neighbour's garden the next day and so I am hoping that they got through okay.

At least my efforts to protect them from the cats worked out and they had the best possible chance of survival. I shall clean the box and prepare it for next year.

Here's a short video to end this update: I apologise for the horrible shaking, I was trying to hand-hold my 400mm lens at full zoom...