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Sunday, 20 April 2025

Hatch at last and a first feed

Update Sunday 27th: it's been quite clear for some days now that the other two eggs won't hatch and have been abandoned.
The two chicks are being well looked after by the parent birds and are growing fast......
Lots of Wendy's video clips showing feeds can be found in the comments.

Update Monday 21st pm: second chick has hatched!

Screenshot by Kate of both chicks:


Video by Wendy of second chick revealed:



 
After what seemed like a long wait, a chick was spotted just before midnight last night (19th).
The screengrab below was captured this morning by Helen, one of our dedicated watch point volunteers.





Here's a video by Wendy showing the first feed:




The Project Team
The project is managed by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust with excellent partners The Cathedral, Cathedral Quarter and the city council's IT team.


136 comments:

  1. Lovely Helen and for others on Flickr.

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  2. Saw the chick just before 9AM Male was eating a pigeon I think.

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  3. Just posted, Flickr, TWO pics from Wendy, one showing FIRST FEED

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  4. What a grand Easter Sunday as we see our FIRST CHICK getting first feed ...
    https://youtu.be/kk2GLb_4wvA

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  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. Sorry, had to re-upload a muted version of Mum bringing prey at 16.23 as the continuously ringing bells made watching quite painful ...
      https://youtu.be/F9XU7VX4aSw

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  6. Still only 1 chick at changeover.

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  7. Male comes in at 20.44 to take over, first time I've seen him today and he doesn't appear to be limping ...
    https://youtu.be/HZT41PWCLs4

    Female comes back at 20.55, perches for 3 minutes then takes over from himself ...
    https://youtu.be/fVAB7O5vT-4

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    1. I enlarged a pic of the eggs which I can't post here, but thought I saw a crack across the middle egg ... maybe another chick by morning ... all early birds keep a lookout please!

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  8. 7.14 single chicken just been fed.

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    1. I’ve posted a couple of pics to Flickr

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    2. Thank you for those great pics Carol, chick is so cute at this stage 🐥

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    3. Thank you Jane for info re early feed 🐥

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  9. Male comes in at 10.26 to take over and we see poor little chick stranded on it's back but seems to manage to right itself before male covers it ... can't see any pips in remaining eggs
    https://youtu.be/H25r39xt2nM?si=ognl5icX2p5eTF2e

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  10. Thank you Jane and Anonymous? for lovely pics of feed and still three eggs at that time.

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  11. Looks like another has hatched around 230pm, I can see a broken egg shell (one of the dark ones)

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  12. Is that another chick that has hatched? I can see a big piece of shell.

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  13. Second chick - from brown egg. Added couple of pics to flicker - just visible and saw moving around

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  14. well spotted..Chloe, Helen and Carol Thank you. I can see darke shell edge of her nearside wing.....Ha!!!

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  15. BOTH chicks being fed now 15.20

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    1. I could only see the elder chick being fed. Dad then arrived with second offering and Mum flew off. Whereupon Dad took lunch into the far corner, ate it all and flew off. So much for his chickcare skills!

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  16. Great news 🐥🐥 Mum is feeding now so great views of the newbie, am recording, will post soonest!

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  17. SECOND CHICK ... reveal of eggshell and briefest glimpse of chicks ...
    https://youtu.be/xilb-HiSo78

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  18. Celebrating a great view of SECOND CHICK when male arrived at 15.14 with prey and Mum commenced to feed ... to soon for newbie to get food though it did ask!🐥🐥
    https://youtu.be/2PyuifWeshs?si=TvNRmUjInkmAES7i

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  19. second feed now pic on flkr

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  20. Another feed at 16.42 where Male feeds Mum before she then feeds chicks, newbie holding it's head up well ...
    https://youtu.be/KW1AsN9L_1M

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  21. 2 feeding now!

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. I see it was the female who brought in prey this time

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  22. Wendy's capture of this feed on;Flickr

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  23. Here is the female bringing in prey and feeding chicks, male flew off ...
    https://youtu.be/49p0jMIENuM

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  24. Still two chicks at 23:50.

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  25. Feed at around 6am, one of the remaining eggs has a pip and a crack.

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  26. Male brings feed , she steps aside to sort it, then starts feeding the Two. Icannot see any crack 07.20

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  27. Part of feed from 11.10, both chicks looking strong ...
    https://youtu.be/-JvGFgxvCok?si=ff589OUnd6H_lono

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  28. Where is mum or dad, no sign of either for last 7 mins now. Still 2 chicks. Is leaving them this long to hunt normal?

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  29. https://youtu.be/yMaYHPO_Kmg?feature=shared

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    1. Even more strange is that Mum brought prey to scrape and didn't feed chicks!

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  30. Hi Ali, the adults are probably not too far away, just out of view of the camera perhaps. They usually keep a close watch. It’s fairly warm today as well, so not really unusual.

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  31. I found it really strange that Mum didn't feed them, prey looked substantial enough ...
    https://youtu.be/cLDe-jMJ8Ho?si=aZEJ7p77jEWWNzJN

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  32. Same thing happened again at 18.25, don't understand it ...
    https://youtu.be/kgnN9z7SwBk

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    Replies
    1. Wendy is it possible the parents know something we don't? (nature can be very cruel). Or could it be possible the other 2 eggs aren't fertile and the scent from those are confusing the parents? Clutching at straws for this odd behaviour.

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    2. I don't have any reasonable guesses Ali, just know that the female is currently very unsettled, constantly picking at the gravel and just had another go at the wooden divider strip which she has pretty much destroyed, nothing left now to keep chicks from straying into other scrape too early! I was busy for quite a while this afternoon and no idea if I missed a feed!

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    3. Just checked some screenshots that I took when I saw them being fed earlier this evening and it was 18.16 so they had only just been fed!

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  33. I saw them being well fed at some point this evening but I can't remember what time it was. Both chicks had a good amount considering how small they are. I had a quick look at the videos and the chicks didn't seem to react when the prey was brought in so I'm guessing that they didn't necessarily need feeding at that point. I think they are probably being fed a lot more often than we think or know about!

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    Replies
    1. Helen you sensible lady! Thankyou for being the voice of reason ❤️

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  34. Just added a few pictures on Flickr of them being fed.

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  35. 6:40am - chicks being fed. Both getting a good amount. Both looking good at this stage.

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  36. Thanks DW, and agree with Helen re yesterdays observations, The prey that Wendy Vid was very scrawny and I think she was probably thinking maybe too bony for the chicks Ha!!!

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  37. sorry not anonymous twas me Kate sorry.( I forgot I cleared my cache)

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  38. Lovely Feed now .Both getting a share 0813

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  39. Thanks for all info regarding feeds, pleased to hear that all progressing well 😀

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  40. Saw a brief feed approx 10.46 and could see a reasonably full crop on one of the chicks😀

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  41. 2 chicks, 2 eggs, just had a good feed, possibly blackbird..

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    1. Thanks Jane, managed to record that one, just editing now

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  42. Earlier comings & goings of parents and views of chicks ...
    https://youtu.be/xIdXLOAvw1o?si=uzf8rjdEyHudJDMV

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  43. The full feed after Male brings prey and Mum feeds the chicks ...
    https://youtu.be/HfSRHP9sc54?si=r2GdFSmUy4MDE86u

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    1. Thank you very much for these videos. I can't get any sound on this one. Is that a problem with my setup?

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    2. Sorry about that, can't think why sound wasn't picked up, will investigate🤔

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    3. Was a problem with recording software settings on my Win 11 laptop ... a learning procedure in progress🤯

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    4. Many thanks

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  44. Strange actions again at 18.10, rough on the chicks, good job they're robust ...
    https://youtu.be/0MPmikV6NIY?si=FIS1D2eDISmymzAD

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  45. Mum starts a feed at 18.31from that prey she's been nursing, male turns up later to feed himself at same time, he leaves with it but he brought it back about 5 minutes ago, no-one interested so he flew with it ...

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  46. Sorry, forgot to insert link ...
    https://youtu.be/_T5uD1ZDTBI?si=S90nKmwf3TiJFV87

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  47. Male brings a scrappy bit of prey, Mum screeches at him for ages, he attempts to start feeding the chicks but she takes over ...
    https://youtu.be/aYsBKUibOTw

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  48. Male has a screech at Mum to hurry up, she brings prey at 15.46 and feeds chicks again ...
    https://youtu.be/U5g_9GBq2ZY

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  49. Still only 2 babies

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    1. Looks unlikely that any more will hatch now ... two is a very manageable number though, much easier to make sure each get equal share of food

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  50. Footage of full feed at 18.55 so we can check how much the chicks get ...
    https://youtu.be/J0YviLJVIaU

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  51. Looks like there will only be 2 chicks this year now.

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  52. At 2.03 am, one of the unhatched eggs was already at the edge of the scrape, and I saw one of the chicks roll the second unhatched egg out from under the parent bird and into the corner nearest Nest Cam 1.

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  53. Thanks anonymous,at least there will be a good chance for our two.

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  54. Feed now 08 43 1 egg out, other still used by chicks as a pillow CHOL:):)

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  55. This feed starts at 12.09 as cam froze then freezes again in the middle ...
    https://youtu.be/lHXsVLCWG58

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  56. Another feed at 13.32 ...
    https://youtu.be/qi55Gvjr-I4

    More prey at 15.07 not offered to chicks, maybe too full from previous feeds
    https://youtu.be/feero4jgwso

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  57. Feed just before 18.00

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  58. Another feed now with both parents

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    1. Did the male feed the chicks or just himself?

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    2. It was predominantly the female he had a bit of a go though she seemed to quickly take over if she felt he wasn't doing it right. He fed some to her and also gave her some to give to the chicks. They both had bits of prey though I missed the first part so couldn't see if it was from one prey or two separate. She had the largest fleshier piece his seemed scrawny. They both flew off when finished she returned a min or so later

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    3. Many thanks for your observations

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  59. Some footage of the feed at 17.47 when male dekivered prey to other scrape and female went to retrieve it (didn't record the later one unfortunately) ...
    https://youtu.be/Eh9js8qvCrE

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  60. Awww I see one egg has been moved out the nest

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    1. Was kicked out a couple of days ago Nattalie, fully expect the other to follow in due course, obviously both not viable

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  61. Actions before, during and after feed at 12.59 ...
    https://youtu.be/Eh9js8qvCrE

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  62. After this they left the chicks for nearly 5 mins before one of them (I'm not sure which) returned with more prey and more feeding

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    1. Sorry saw this was on the video

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  63. Another feed at 15.38 ...
    https://youtu.be/BpHJfdm0FHg

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  64. Next lot of prey came in at 17.02, chicks being looked after well ...
    https://youtu.be/CHewRJmKu-s

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  65. Can't sleep at 2.00am and just watched the parent bird fly off leaving the chicks alone and very awake.

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    1. She won't have gone far, likely just a comfort break

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  66. Mum brings prey and feeds the chicks at 15.11 (just the one feed today as had visitors) ... https://youtu.be/bgxv3GCrwYI

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  67. Mum (I think) also bought prey this morning 8.15-830 ISH both chicks had a good feed

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  68. Just one of the unviable eggs in nest now and shell is broken too

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  69. I noticed that too..i wonder where the other one is...and the egg maybe cracked due to parents standing on it I'm not sure but I really don't think we'll get another chicken it's been too long since last hatch

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    1. Maybe one of the adults has eaten it?

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  70. Mum brings prey at 15.16 and feeds chicks ...
    https://youtu.be/JdT2ZSQId30

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  71. Am surprised chicks still had room for more prey at 15.42 ...
    https://youtu.be/eLP6pd7GapQ

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  72. Double feed this morning and just now Dad feeding Mum will put pick on flickr.maybe Wendy will have vid later.

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    1. Sorry no footage Kate, me not an earlybird😴

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  73. What's the grey ball showing on the second cam next to the parent bird?

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    1. I you mean on the gravel then likely to be the head of earlier prey

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  74. You mean the grey /brown ball up the right side corner? If so it's the camera
    https://youtu.be/vDFqKvfFPAM?feature=shared

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  75. Lovely long feed at 14.15 at 2x speed to show it all ...
    https://youtu.be/uzgk8OGTDSA

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  76. Another good feed at 16.52 ... some scraps had been fed earlier at 15.22
    https://youtu.be/FLEV_Vw2-a4

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  77. Is one chick getting a lot more food than the other?

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  78. Are both chicks still there this morning only seen one though might be out of sight ...

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  79. Just seen them both the seconds been fast asleep in the corner out of sight in the shade

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  80. One chick mobile & preening whilst the other is hidden in corner out of sight ... they soon gather to be fed at 12.12
    https://youtu.be/kC_v-Zs9kBg

    Next feed was at 15.09
    https://youtu.be/A4xwhQqd2ZY

    Yet more food at 18.07, quite a long feed this time
    https://youtu.be/EFPuDoQgtpQ

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  81. Dad just brought a scrappy bit of feed, but was more interested in feeding himself, he did try and quieten Mum with a few mouthfuls,she tried to move out of the way so he could give some to the chicks, but to be honest I think they must have already been fed, as not much interest, he then took it away.

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  82. Both chicks toddling around the scrape,when alone, with one preferring the corner out of view ,under the Cam

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    1. At least it comes out of hiding when feeding is in progress!

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  83. Feed at 11.46
    https://youtu.be/jK-FCCVKO7E

    Longer feed at 13,24
    https://youtu.be/Eu4TraFi1UY

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  84. Chicks are 14 & 12 days old and growing like weeds!!
    Male brings prey at 11.29 and Mum feeds chicks ...
    https://youtu.be/z83tDVxh638

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  85. I'm amazed how much they can fit in their crops!
    They were having a feed at 6am this morning

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    Replies
    1. Good to know that Jules, am not an early riser!

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    2. I'm not normally either

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  86. Another feed at 16.50 where the one chick was quite good at blocking the other but they both got food and their crops are filling well ...
    https://youtu.be/IXoArxQwu5Q

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  87. Mum was definitely not happy for Male to feed chicks after he brought in prey at 12.05, she protested loudly then took over, the prey was very small ...
    https://youtu.be/CiLo49sXsdA

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  88. Mum brought in a decent sized fresh bit of prey at 18.54, chicks were very hungry, like the way she made sure the smaller on got plenty ...
    https://youtu.be/JWwFr8Fk_s0

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  89. They also had a good feed 15.30-15.45 from a decent sized prey didn't see who bought it in but mum made sure both had plenty

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  90. Footage of one chick mobile and in comparison to Dad ...
    https://youtu.be/K3zi6_5_P2k

    Very tiny bird as prey, chicks not satisfied, can be heard cheeping at end ...
    https://youtu.be/98b86tH-vwM

    Dad acting very strange at this feed, brings in small prey and shares only with Mum who tries to feed chicks ...
    https://youtu.be/LnhC-pIpjuo

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  91. Another feed has just ended, Mum brought decent sized prey and made sure both chicks were fed until full, their crops filled nicely ... sorry no footage as my recording software failed! Grrrrrrr

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  92. Chicks are 17 and 15 days old and a marked difference in size can be seen in this feeding vid at 13.15 ...
    https://youtu.be/BzNxz_8unhI

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    1. Some preening from the oldest chick today ...
      https://youtu.be/H0R_A_A8mc8

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    2. Meant to point out that the remains of the last unhatched egg can be seen bottom right with remains inside which might be of a chick?

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    3. Yes I saw that too looked like a fully formed tiny chick inside

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  93. So mum has been screeching for the last half hour for food so fresh starling it is this morning

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    Replies
    1. Ugh the biggest was getting all the food then mum/dad takes food away and the littlest is still hungry still screeching when they come back

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  94. please note there is a new blog post and future comments should be added to it rather than this now older post. Thanks.

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