Today the youngsters had a good feed as soon as the rain stopped at lunchtime. A couple of small snacks followed during the afternoon – Dad bringing in prey that was much, much smaller than the chicks. At 5.00 he dropped into the turret with a small scrap, probably from the larder – it still had feathers on it. One of the chicks grabbed it from him and he left. That’s the first time this year we’ve seen them with the job of plucking, albeit a very small meal. Two of the siblings were busy sleeping, and the fourth was looking on, obviously unsure about how to deal with the situation. Normally a parent feeds them and makes sure they all get a fair share. What do you do when your sibling has got all the food? She gave up in the end and joined the others in their nap.
All four are looking very strong and healthy. Most of the fluffy white down has gone now, with just a few wispy bits left. They’re starting to look quite grown up! Only another week or so until they start to fledge…
