Spring arrives

[sonny]

Well today has been glorious sunshine and nice and warm with it. This morning one of the blue tits chicks decided the weather was suitable and made his/her way into the big bad world.

5 Mins after leaving the nest box he/she was sat in the rhododendron


After 10-15 mins he/she was shouting for mum


He eventually made his way across the garden and into a conifer in next doors garden where mum was feeding him


Next doors garden filled up with people and our grand-babys came not long after and so the gardens were full and noisey so I couldn't take any more pics, mother was still feeding it though so hopefully it will do ok.

I'm not sure if there are any more in the nest box but going by the noise that was coming from it last week I guess there could still be some more inside.

[alison]

It is so exciting to know that we have given the bluetits a safe environment to be born into. Hopefully they will continue to use it for many years. It felt just like it did watching the great tits on springwatch leaving their nest.
It is very strange to see the baby with its wide mouth. I think Sonny said it is called a gape and that it soon disappears and only the beak remains. We will keep watching to see if any other bluetits appear.

[Anyanka]

Wonderful photos. I particularly like the middle one - the bluetit looks so grumpy and vulnerable!

I know how you feel, Alison - I love providing homes for all sorts of babies. In the last few days we've had a juvenile robin at the bottom of the garden - I hope he stays. There's also a blackbird nest in the quince, same as last year, and something stirring in the yew.

The only ones I don't welcome are the baby snails... I would like to, but when it's between them and the baby plants that I've grown painstakingly from seed, then mulch is thicker than water (so to speak).