Live view of nest boxes in Cookstown, N.Ireland.

Great Tit chick
One of the Great Tit chicks returns to the garden, 10 days after fledging.

2010-08-13:Both swift boxes are empty tonight. They're all gone!
2010-07-23:The last chick has fledged, all three boxes are now empty!
That's more or less it for the 2010 season, the parents should continue to visit the boxes for a short while before they begin their migration to Africa. I'll put up a video of all the swift chicks fledging shortly.
2010-07-22:One of the chicks has fledged from Box 3! It was more of a fall than a fledge, but it seems to have gotten away. [Play Video]
Another chick fledges tonight. Just the one left.
2010-07-19:The last chick in Box 3 has fledged! The parents will keep visiting for a short while before finally leaving on their migration to Africa.
Three chicks remain in Box 3, they will likely fledge before the end of the week.
2010-07-18:No more fledgings so far, but they're really curious about the outside world. [Play Video]
2010-07-17:A bit later than I expected but two chicks have fledged from Box 2 this morning!
2010-07-14:They're all still there! I had expected the Box 2 chicks to have started fledging over the weekend, but they don't seem too bothered yet.
2010-07-11:All six Swift chicks are still doing very well, and are quite difficult to tell apart from the adults. They're spending time looking out of the entrance and it won't be long before they fledge, the chicks in Box 2 could fledge at any time with Box 3's chicks about a week later. They probably won't all fledge at once like the Great Tits do, it seems to be in individual thing for Swifts.
Unfortunately the camera in Box 2 has become very misty, there seems to be dirt on the lens and it's making it difficult to see what's going on!
2010-06-28:Pepper appears to have abandoned the remaining two eggs in Box 1. There is no chance now of them hatching. Will she continue to roost in the box?
2010-06-27:The swifts chicks are beginning to look like their parents now, with their forked tail and long pointy wings. Feeding time is madness!
Another egg was removed from Box 1 today, leaving only two. Hatching was predicted to happen yesterday so there is a high chance the remaining two eggs are also infertile.
2010-06-22:Two more eggs have been removed from Box 1. Only three left. At this rate I'm not sure any will hatch.
2010-06-21:At least one of the chicks in Box 2 has its eyes open! They're very fluffy now and have even been doing some wing flapping.
The eggs in Box 1 should hopefully hatch this weekend.
2010-06-20:One of the eggs in Box 1 went missing, so I went back though the video log to find out what happened. It's a bit of a surprise! [Play Video]
2010-06-15:An unexpected sixth egg laid in Box 1 this morning! That has to be the last one?
2010-06-14:The fifth and likely final egg has been laid in Box 1. Three less than the first brood.
2010-06-13:The eggs in Box 3 should all have hatched by now, but it's not easy to tell from the camera.
Pepper has begun incubating four eggs in Box 1. There may be one more tomorrow.
2010-06-12:All three eggs in Box 2 have now hatched, and the eggs in Box 3 are beginning to hatch now!
2010-06-10:The first egg of the second brood has been laid in Box 1!
2010-06-09:Two of the eggs in Box 2 have hatched. The eggs in Box 3 should begin hatching shortly. [Play Video]
2010-06-08:Right on schedule, the first Swift chick has hatched in Box 2!
Pepper is not roosting in Box 1 tonight.
2010-06-07:New nest material is being brough into Box 1, and the female Pepper is roosting again.
2010-06-06:At least two of the chicks from Box 1 returned to the garden today. There have also been many visits inside Box 1 by the parents. Great Tits can have second broods if the conditions are right, I wonder if that is what's happening here? [Play Video]
Thanks to anne-miek for letting me know that there are actually three eggs in Box 3! They've been keeping the third egg very well hidden.
2010-06-04:The Great Tits are back! Briefly anyway, and take an interest in the Swift boxes. [Play Video]
2010-06-01:The first Swift chick should hatch in Box 2 in about a weeks time.
2010-05-30:A video of the fledging is now up! [Play Video]
Alternatively the video is also on Youtube. [Play Video]
2010-05-27:All eight chicks have fledged Box 1! I've uploaded some pictures here. Still working on the video.
2010-05-26:None left today, although a few got close.
2010-05-25:A lot of wing flapping tonight, and even a few quick peeks outside. Will they leave tomorrow?
2010-05-24:Much cooler today and the chicks in Box 1 are very busy preening themselves and stretching their wings. They could leave at any time now.
Incubation seems to have begun in both Swift boxes.
2010-05-23:The Swifts in Box 3 have their second egg, and there appears to be three eggs in Box 2!
Our eight Great Tit chicks are all healthy despite the heat. I thought they might leave the nest on about Thursday but it looks like they might leave sooner.
2010-05-22:It's a very hot day today in Cookstown and the heat seems to be affecting the chicks in Box 1.
The chicks are spending their first night alone, Pepper is roosting elsewhere tonight.
2010-05-21:The Swifts in Box 3 have their first egg!
2010-05-20:All eight chicks in Box 1 are doing well. They have most of their feathers and look like little Great Tits now. Only one week left before they leave the box!
The Swifts now have two eggs in Box 2.
2010-05-18:The Swifts in Box 2 have laid another egg. The rejected egg is still in the box.
2010-05-16:Many of the chicks now have their eyes opened! Wings and tail feathers are developing really well. The parents choice of food is not always ideal though. [Play Video]
2010-05-13:A pair of Swifts are roosting in Box 3 tonight.
2010-05-12:The chicks in Box 1 appear to be doing really well. They're starting to develop their feathers already, and are getting quite noisy when mum or dad are in the box.
2010-05-11:The egg in Box 2 appears to have been rejected. They keep removing it from the nest cup.
2010-05-10:All eight eggs have now hatched!
A third Swift entered Box 2 tonight, and after quite a bit of flighting settled down at the far end of the box. Then suddenly at 11pm BST was kicked out by one of the others.
2010-05-09:Seven eggs have now hatched, just one more to go.
The Swifts in Box 2 have their first egg already!
2010-05-08:Peppers eggs in Box 1 begin to hatch! Right on schedule.
Six of the eight eggs have hatched. Both parents are bring in plenty of food. [Play Video]
2010-05-07:There is a pair of Swifts in Box 3 today. The eggs in Box 1 should begin hatching very soon now.
2010-05-04:About half way through incubation now.
2010-04-30:A pair of Swifts spent time in Box 2 today.
2010-04-29:The Swifts return to Boxes 2 + 3! One bird is roosting in each box.
2010-04-26:The eighth and probably final egg was laid this morning.
2010-04-25:There are now seven eggs in Box 1 and Pepper has started incubating them. There may be one more egg tomorrow.
If all goes well the eggs should begin hatching on about the 8th of May.
2010-04-24:Swifts have returned to Cookstown. Box 2 + 3 will be online shortly.
2010-04-19:The first egg laid this morning! [Play Video]
2010-04-18:No eggs today. Pepper is roosting again tonight, with Rake standing guard. [Play Video]
2010-04-16:The female Pepper is roosting tonight in Box 1. It shouldn't be long now before the first egg...
2010-04-14:The nest appears to be finished already.
2010-04-12:A surge of activity today, the nest is now taking shape.
2010-04-06:Nest building has unexpectedly begun in Box 1! [Play Video]
2010-02-22:Visits inside Box 1 are still rare and brief, but there's a lot more pecking going on outside! [Play Video]
2010-01-18:The early start was a bit too early for our Great Tit pair. One month later and they make only their second visit into Box 1. [Play Video]
2009-12-18:The 2010 season starts early with a Great Tit pair visiting Box 1. They entered without much hesitation so I believe this is the same pair from last season. [Play Video]

News from the last few seasons is here.

Images and video from this and previous seasons: 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006.

Copyright © 2006-2010 Philip Heron