Posted at 1.00pm

As the lights went off for the final time on the four chicks last night, the male was still making countless food deliveries and the chicks were about to spend their last night together on Nest Watch.

The cooler night air seemed to give them a little more to talk about, and they had retreated back to where they knew best - the nest cup.

The older ones were surely left thinking about the entrance hole, and whilst it had looked inviting during the previous day, it was a definite must-do tomorrow.

And number 4 was especially on top form when food arrived, even it was facing the wrong way!

As we switched off the computer monitors for the evening, one had been standing alone from the crowd for some time ... and we wondered what might be going through its head:

Today started quite early, and the first food delivery arrived at 5.24am with countless more over the next hour. Each time a parent arrived the chicks looked somewhat joyous about the hole thing:

It wasn't long before escape plans were being discussed and lookouts peered through the hole to see what life beyond might look like:

For the chicks everything looked very interesting, and one was seen pecking at an egg, and another picked up a piece of straw:

And number 4 showed just how independent it can be, and made it up to the hole to accept a juicy mealworm from mum:

A rapid delivery of early morning mealworms seemed to slow the chicks down somewhat, and between 7.00am and 7.30am they were all huddled back in the nest cup, sometimes looking as if they were ready for bed again:

It took just under another two hours before the fledging started ...

The Fledging of the First Three
All three chicks flew the nest within six minutes of each other from 9.03am until 9.09am.

It amazing how quickly things changed in there, and at 9.00am all was peace and harmony with three quiet chicks and a noisy number 4.

The only real movement was the chap bottom right who got in a flap testing out its wings:

As has been said before, number 4 is a character and whilst the others made their final mental preparations for the big flight, number 4 just stood in the middle as usual and shouted at the entrance hole.

A minute later and its was clinging onto the opening with everybody else quietly and patiently sitting there taking in the view:

Its calls were heard, and number 4 has only to blame itself for the lone position it now finds itself in. If it hadn't attracted the attentions of the male, everybody else wouldn't have got so excited.

A parent appeared at the hole, but no food was exchanged:

It was from that moment onwards that the three eldest had decided that life on the outside was a far better proposition than spending the rest of their days inside a box.

Chicks started flying around the box, hurling themselves around at times and the next 60 seconds saw the first get its position in the queue:

The first probably didn't leave quite as it intended ...

It was lined up in the hole ready to go, and then another one flew up and pushed it out!

Chick number 1 makes the biggest flight of its life here, and starts with number 4 being fed. You can hear the racket inside, and the flapping wings that eventually pushed number one out into the world. (outside camera)

The last two minutes before number 1 left. (side camera)

It flew straight across the garden and up into the Horse Chestnut tree where the camera box was located in 2005. After a couple of minutes it was reunited with a parent.

Chick Number 2
It only took another two and a half minutes before the second went.

It was always going to be the second, as it had been hanging around the hole for 45 seconds or so before it went. It did get a few flying nudges from what was to become number 3 just minutes later, and as it left the other almost bounced into the air in celebration.

And all the time number 4 sat in the nest cup chirping away - did it realise what was happening?

Number 2 slips away into the garden here. (outside camera)

The last two minutes before number 2 vacated the premises. (side camera)

It turned left and flew straight round and back into the tall Conifer hedge where the box is situated:

Chick Number 3
With only two left and the certainty that one of those just wasn't old enough to make the flight today, it took number 3 four minutes to take the plunge.

It wasn't sure, but after consideration and an awful lot of pleading from number 4 it finally disappeared out of the hole as number 4 shouted at its tail:

Number 3 dithers and finally commits itself here. (outside camera)

The last two minutes before number 3 left number 4 on its own. (side camera)

It also turned left and flew straight round and back to the Conifer hedge and dad reunited with it after a minute or two.

So what about number 4?

Number 4 was very surprising just minutes after the last one left ... and we'll post another update later around 7.30pm so you can see what it did, and how it is doing.