A Very Big Day at the Nest

Well, if you have been following Lynda Radbone’s updates from the Thrike-Shrush nest in her fig tree there is some very BIG news to report. It has been a hive of activity at the nest today – Wednesday 14 December. Here’s what happened in the space of a few short hours this morning as photographed and reported by Lynda…….

(1). 7.57 AM. Lynda rechecked the date of birth (hatching) of the chicks. They are 10 days old today. Two of the chicks (the larger ones) have their eyes open. The nest is getting very crowded as the birds grow. Lynda is worried the chicks are going to push each other out of the nest. It’s getting to be a tight squeeze in there. The constant chirping of the chicks is lovely to hear from the verandah. Mum and Dad Shrike-Thrush are run off their feet with the feeding. ‘Chirpy’, ‘Cheep’ and ‘Tweety’ (as named by Lynda) are thriving and the predatory cat birds have stayed away.
(2). 8.04 AM. There is some ‘unrest in the nest’ as the wide-eyed growing chicks hustle for space in the nest.
(3). 8.12 AM. There is movement out of the nest as the larger chicks start hopping up on the branches of the fig tree.
(4). 8.33 AM. A maiden flight by one of the chicks is unsuccessful. Lynda puts the chick back in the nest (for protection from predators). There were several more attempts to fledge with crash landings each time. Lynda keeps watch and puts the chicks back in the nest for safe keeping when predatory birds are around.
(5). 10.12 AM. By now the two larger chicks have fully fledged and left the nest. Only one chick remains in the nest, the smaller of the three. This chick appears to be weaker and its eyes are not fully open as yet. Lynda hopes that this chick is not abandoned!
(6). 12.00 PM. Some five attempts later, the remaining chick finally gets lift off and leaves the nest. It’s off and away into the nearby forest.

At about 12.15 PM, Lynda realises she’s an ’empty nester’. She hopes that the universe takes care of her wee fledgings and keeps the catbirds and other predators at bay. All is unusually quiet in the fig tree on the verandah.

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