Redstart Update (14th July)

I spent almost the whole day enjoying the Redtstarts as they are nesting in the building directly opposite our house!  Here's the male!

stunning male Redstart

a bit confused about the order of the tail moult?!

and the female

4 chicks were clearly visible from the entrance hole and my prediction was they'd fledged in the next day or two.  I was 3/4 correct!  In fact, I was watching them at precisely 20:04 that evening when I saw the male arrive and entice one of the chicks out of the crack in the wall so that I witnessed it take its very first flight from the nest!  It was a brilliant sight as the chick shot across the yard from the nest hole, heading straight for the stone wall before making its way to the nearby hedgerow.  Here's a video of the brave chick only seconds after leaving the nest!

fledgling Redstart, only seconds after leaving the nest

The remaining 3 chicks were less adventurous and decided to overnight in the safety of the nest but it was good to see both adults continue to feed all the chicks (including the newly fledged individual) despite being separated.

This was also my second consecutive night out searching for roding Woodcock.  Sadly nothing to report other than an on-slaughter of midges and a couple calling Tawny Owls.