7 May Bluey 2 has settled for ten eggs the first of which should hatch any day so keep an eye out

If Bluey 2 has to leave the nest she covers the eggs up well. I can see now why she wanted so many balls of cotton wall, as its hard to see the eggs for all the cotton

18 May I think all the chicks have hatched now, although I have never managed to see all ten at once due to the nest cup being extended underneath towards the entrance by about three centimetres.

20 May I can now confirm that at least nine chicks have hatched and there are signs of some chicks starting to open their eyes. Wing feathers are growing and the distinctive white strip is forming.

24 May The male has not been seen for four days, this is the last picture with him in. I believe the mealworm feeder is saving the day; she could not cope with nine chicks on her own

Mum is having to feed them all by herself and some of the chicks are getting demanding, they are obviously very hungry

Four of the chicks left the nest cup and explored the rest of the nest but returned an hour later as they weren't getting fed as much.

Now the nest is not so full an egg can clearly be seen that did not hatch. Most chicks have their eyes open now. One chick (I believe the youngest) died this morning, and Mum removed it from the nest. So there are now only eight left

26 May last night Bluey 2 left the chicks on their own for the first time, I don't blame her as the night before she got very little sleep. She needs all her sleep

May 31 It will not be long now, I feel, the troops are mustering. They will surely fledge within the next three days, poor Bluey 2 some are already as big as her and she is doing all the work, but she has coped so well what a Mum she is.