Our tawny owl has been very coy about showing us what she is sitting on but we did manage to glimpse at least three eggs. This week she delighted us with a peek at two newly hatched chicks. She has been keeping them warm and feeding them.
Meanwhile the male kestrel has been bringing gifts for his mate in their box, including small mammals and a lizard, which the female quickly relieves him of! No eggs yet but the female has made a small depression in the wood chips.
The first of our blue tit pairs have start laying and there are currently four eggs in the nest. They will typically lay one egg a day with an average clutch of 8 – 10 eggs. However, they will not start incubating them until the penultimate egg is laid. Meanwhile the second pair continue to build their nest.
The latest stars to join our cast of characters are a pair of sparrows, which have just started to show a keen interest in one of our great tit boxes. The male was spotted clinging to the outside calling loudly. It wasn’t long before the female came to check out his house hunting skills and has since been seen re-arranging nesting material inside.
You can follow the progress of all our families, live on our TV in the Visitor Centre between Chichester and Selsey on the B2145.