The exciting news is that the eldest chick is now airborne. It has been keeping us all on tenterhooks for the past few days by hopping around on branches near the nest and disappearing from view. But finally on Monday it took the plunge and made its maiden flight. The middle chick looks set to follow it soon as it too have been spending increasing amounts of time on branches away from the nest, only just visible to the camera. The youngest bird is still something of a homebody though and is staying in the nest.
Which is not to say that once the chicks can fly we won't see them on the camera again. They will continue to hang around the nest as the parents will keep bringing in food for them. Eventually though they will have to fend for themselves, and so will disappear. Usually towards the beginning of August.