Friday, July 09, 2010

Goldcrest chicks

I came across a newly fledged goldcrest on a branch in Jumble Hole Clough, and it has to be the smallest bird I have ever seen in my whole life. I've seen bigger grapes!
The parent bird was then seen taking food into the remaining nestlings in the ivy.

3 comments:

David Sutcliffe said...

That's a great find Mat - I can't say I have ever seen them just out of the nest. Lets hope Goldcrests do well this summer as they certainly need to pick up there numbers after last winter.

Matt Bell said...

It felt like a real priviledge to see such an unusual site

Steve Blacksmith said...

I've never seen very recently fledged juveniles. Small is often beautiful!
I did watch a female building in a garden conifer once,(a Lawsons Cypress,)and saw the eggs later. I was surprised as the the nest was tucked in just like any songbird nest, when I expected it to be slung like a hammock, as all the books say.
The newly hatched nestlings were smaller than bumble bees!
You could fill a BTO nest record card in, or I could do it for you.
You have got the fledging date, or very near it; valuable data, when added to the BTO's set.