Update for Thursday, May 9, 2024
Today we noted that the nestlings are being left alone in the box more frequently, although not often for intervals exceeding 20 minutes. When they are left almost invariably one of the parents keeps close watch from somewhere in the Canyon. What is interesting to us is that when compared to other seasons, it seems a little early in their development to be left on their own. However, the temperature has been relatively warm, and the chicks are now large enough to generate their own heat. We also began noticing that the nestlings have become slightly ambulatory in the box. They are all staying close together but gradually shuffling from one part of the box to the other. Mostly, they were able to stay out of the sun themselves by moving to the back of the box where there were shadows to hide in.
