Baby Urges Siblings to Hatch!

PS: The bright spot slightly marring the view might be light coming in via the hole into the nest box.

Births and Hatchings

This morning, we heard a LOUD chirping, and we suspected that something had changed. We looked in the cage, and a broken egg shell had been discarded out of the nest box and onto the floor of the cage. On turning on the webcam, we could, at first, see only both parents. However, one, and then the other, left the nest box to investigate our activities, and we saw: the first hatchling! Magically, today is also J.s birthday. So, J and the first budgie have the same Birthday.
Sutcliffe seemed to be more annoying than helpful. He was feeding, but, not filling his crop, it seemed. We placed cooked oatmeal into the cage, which was very much eaten by Sutcliffe when he was feeding Boo and Mary ann.
The only minor concern is that we see only two remaining eggs. We don't, however, see any additional eggshells. Has the fourth egg been a casualty of nature? Time will tell.
Meanwhile: it is amazing that this embryonic, almost microscopic creature can make any noise at all, much less, loud cheeping noises. Also, it is quite amazing that this tiny creature could survive. It is not surprising that there is more than a 50% mortality rate for budgie hatchlings. I don't think I have ever seem a more vulnerable appearing creature.

Ten Days to Two Weeks

Based on internet sources and experience last winter with Boo, it seems that the incubation period for eggs is about a month or so. Since we know that the eggs were laid in the second week of November (around the 12-15th), we should be able to egg-spect (hahahaha) hatching in the next couple of weeks. Whether or not we will see this and document it, remains to be seen however. I wish we could get the video posting to work, and even more, I wish we could get live feed! Alas, we are stuck with still pictures for now. I suppose that I should not complain, since "Blogger" is free.