Saturday 14 May 2011

The Redstarts Return

Last year we had Black Redstarts nesting in the graineterie (pics here and here), and this year they have returned.

The chicks are so focused on food they don't seem to be worried by us walking in and out to get tools and the like, so I set up the camera and took some footage of then in action.

I think only the female was feeding them while I was filming, but the male has been hard at work too. All five babies look well fed, so we are hoping for a sucessful fledging and a new generation of black redstarts around the house. They appear to be about a month earlier than last year's brood, so maybe the parents are aiming for a second batch.

Some time during yesterday we passed 250,000 visitors to the blog, and received emails from people who were concerned that we hadn't posted anything*. Thank you for all being so interested!

Simon

*The problem was Google, not us.

4 comments:

GaynorB said...

WOW!

Congratulations on your quarter million........... keep up the good work.

I wonder how many posts,words and photographs this represents?

There seemed to be problems everywhere yesterday, even twitter was overloaded.

Craig said...

Congratulations on 250,000 visitors!

Tim said...

I don't think that they'll be in the nest much longer Simon.... that wing excersising at the two minute mark was very vigorous... and at 5:55!
Are they still there, or hopping all over the woodwork!?

Simon said...

Gaynor and Craig. Thanks - it's amazing to us.

Tim - the left the nest the on Monday morning. I have seen a couple of the chicks on the rood of the garage. Mum is still feeding them, but the nest is unused.

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