巣立ち、シジュウカラ日記(5) 2024　Leaving the nest, titmouse Diary (5) 2024

4月25日（木）頃に生まれたヒナたちは約2週間後の5月11日（土）に親鳥が励まし？見守る中、1時間ほどで8羽全て巣立ちました。

この2週間、雨天に関わらず、日増しに食欲旺盛になるヒナたちへの給餌で親鳥は早朝5時過ぎから一生懸命働いていました。

ヒナの排泄物は親鳥が遠くへ運び捨てます。巣の中をきれいにしてヒナの病気を防ぎ、ヒナがヘビや猫の犠牲にならないようにするためです。

今年もここ2ヶ月ほどほぼ毎日3メートルほど離れた窓を通じて観察していましたので、その姿を見ることができなくなるのは少し寂しいです。

来年もきっと元気に帰ってきてくれるでしょう。

一連の記録は動画にまとめて近日中にご紹介します。

シジュウカラの子育て
Chicks raising by a pair of titmice

The chicks were born around Thursday, April 25, and about two weeks later, on Saturday, May 11, all eight left the nest in about an hour while the parents encouraged them and watched over them.

The parent birds have been hard at work since early in the morning after 5:00 a.m. feeding their chicks, which are growing more and more appetizing day by day. Of course, this is regardless of rainy weather.

The chicks' excrement is carried far away and discarded by the parent birds. This is to keep the nest clean, to prevent the chicks from getting sick, and to prevent them from becoming victims of snakes, cats and so on.

I had been observing them through a window about 3 meters away almost every day for the past two months this year as well, so I am a little sad that I will not be able to see them anymore.

I am sure they will return to us next year in good health.

A series of records will be compiled into a video, which will be available soon.