Hey Folks
Just got back from the Hotel so haven't checked the cams or recordings figured I'd post here first.
We were working to get on the roof when the fight ended and Pip (by the clear white breast) returned to settle back with the chicks. Had to press the pause then to reassess going and opening up the nestbox.
If the birds had still been fighting it definitely would have been worth it but with the fight over and the adult back with the chicks then we have to way disturbing the birds and stressing the adults to check the chicks. And this is where the problem arises ... very young chicks have a very low survival rate in rehab - they just are so fragile. Over the last two years we have tried to save a six chicks and only two have lived past 24 hours. So if a chick were injured their chance of survival is even lower.
It would be nice to be sure we could protect them from everything but the reality is that we can do a lot and we are willing to do whatever we can, but there are times when we have to ask if we are doing something because we should OR because it something we want to do.
In this case I decided that leaving the Ella and Pip alone with their chicks/eggs was better for them all.
If a chick was injured and can't survive then it will die surrounded by all that it knows and is comforted by. If the chicks are shaken up but injured, then more stress will not help matters. If Ella and Pip are injured from their defence of their nest/young, then my appearance on the roof would cause them more stress which could exacerbate their injuries.
So now, we wait and see and hope for the best for this little family. It is an old cliche and oft quoted here - but Nature can be unkind to its children. Maybe she hasn't been too unkind this time, we will just have to wait and see.
