Nearly ready

More baby birds. These blue tits were ready to fledge - we had opened the box to ring them, but we didn't because at this age, if disturbed, they're likely to jump out of the box. So we took their photo and left them alone.

We went on to the next box, and while we were putting up the ladder, a parent arrived and called. A chick appeared at the hole of the box in the photo and launched itself into the unknown in response to the call. And then another, and another... in five minutes, all ten of them had flown up into the branches of the oak tree and were calling to each other as they moved off.

A special moment - even if we didn't ring any of them!