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Hey Everyone :)
I became interested in wildlife just under a couple of years ago and shortly after I placed a couple of nest boxes up in my garden. Last year .... nothing - but this year one of the boxes became occupied (very pleased!)
I was hoping for Blue Tits but instead we got House Sparrows (however this I was pleased with as there numbers are declining) - around March time I first started seeing the male taking material in .... Anyway over the last couple of weeks I have seen the male and female visiting the box very frequently and I assumed there must be chicks inside.
Now I have a few boxes up and one is rigged up with a camera but this particular one is at the far end of my garden and thus I can't see in - so following the guidelines given on the Springwatch Easter special I approached the box casually and knocked the outside (nothing flew out which was good!) and I proceeded to open the lid and have a peak - now because of where the box is situated I couldn't look myself (it's high up as I live in an urban area and we have cats/foxes etc) I used a camera and just took a couple of short videos.
I was in and out within a couple of minutes - put the lid back down, I didn't tamer with the chicks at all and I moved away .... I am pleased to say that the parents have gone on feeding as normal (have seen them visit many times since I checked the box) - which is a relief!
Anyway I am no expert - the videos aren't great I'm afraid due to poor light/bad focusing - but I can see 3 chicks and one unlaid egg? How old do the chicks look? Will that egg hatch? Are the house sparrows likely to have a second brood and if so, in the same place?
I am happy I have checked and will therefore not disturb the box again.
Link to videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nng17GKROuc
Many Thanks for your time :)
Cheers, Rob
My Twitter & Website:http://www.twitter.com/wildliferobhttp://www.wildliferob.co.uk
I cant access U- tube from work but will try to look at home. I am envious because I have had a sparrow terrace nestbox for three years but only blue tits will nest. Apparently I need to put it higher.
The sparrows in the video look very close to fledging, within a few days so hopefully you saw them being fed and tended by their parents! I noticed you posted this back in May so it's quite likely that they will have had another go by now and may even have reached the feeding stage again!!! Let us know how they are getting on!
Warden Intern at Otmoor.