Stretch and Flap ~ Repeat

Here we are, 15th day since hatching.  As we wind down to the last days in the nest I still don't find it boring.  They are very active... much more than just yesterday. The oldest sometimes jumps around like he has ants in his pants.

It seems that at least one of the chicks is a male as I think I'm seeing some red hue to feathers on his neck. It's pretty subtle right now.  Their fuzzy's are now confined to their head like a half-crown with the exception of one that has a little tuft of fuzz on the nape of the neck. There are no longer any feather shafts showing.

I've noticed that sometimes mom or dad will come to the nest but stay away as if to entice one or more of the chicks to come over for a meal. So far no chick has actually stepped outside the white ring of the nest.

There continues to be a lot of wing stretching by all the chicks.  You'll see that in some of the videos.  The two oldest chicks regularly flap their wings and I have the youngest doing a vigorous flap in the video below.  They do it more often after being fed... maybe the food gives them a shot of energy.  Today the oldest was flapping away and standing on his tiptoes ~ I was fumbling around trying to get the video going but missed the show.... Dang I hate it when that happens.

I've decided not to take any more pictures of the chicks from outside. I'm concerned that I may scare one or more into abandoning the nest.  Some articles I've read have suggested this could happen and having already lost one chick I don't want to do anything dopey and lose another.

All the pictures I'm getting now are from the webcam and from my camera via the window.

Enough wordsmithing, lets look at some pictures.

The next video I posted so you could see a wing stretch... well, it is what it is :)

In this video you can see dad standing away from the nest which I perceive as trying to tempt one or more chicks from the nest. Also a good flapping session by the youngest chick.

This is the oldest chick preening.  Kids of all kinds seem very flexible...

More preening... feathers are high maintenance items I guess.

I put this picture in because it's a demonstrates a function on my camera of making part of the picture monochrome
the the other parts in color. Impressed me.

Now quit play'n on your computer and do something productive...

Whoohoo!!