To turn the computer screens on this morning and see that the youngest member of the family was still alive was a relief, if not still a cause for concern.

Today has not been easy at times, watching a lone young and immature Blue Tit chick wander around the box, shout for attention and at times look thoroughly neglected.

Number 4 has definitely got problems, but the supportive parents have not let it down.

The first feed from dad arrived at 5.51am and he has again been fantastic in the way he has kept up contact with the little one.

Mum has also been around but of course she has three mouths to feed and look after, so she can be excused from some of her parental duties.

The last of the chicks did not go long without the chance to feed, and again just like yesterday on average no more than 30 or 40 minutes elapsed, although there were a couple of longer spells.

Whether or not it received the right type of food is another matter altogether.

The mealworms we put out were dutifully delivered, but again parents were seen removing them as the little one found it difficult to get them down. It looked as if a lot of Suet and small pieces of Peanut went down better and possibly the odd insect.

Without it eating the likes of Caterpillars that give a youngster liquid our concern today was also one of dehydration.

Anyway, put all of those concerns to one side ... feisty number 4 did eventually make the break for freedom, albeit it little late in the day.

Although there were some very quiet moments whilst it spent time motionless or even asleep, when it perked up, it was lively ...

At lunchtime it very nearly made the break, and again it showed how underdeveloped this little chap was. At the time we thought if it does fledge, can it actually fly?

So it would appear that poor number 4 is not well ...

Its body has not developed as it should have, although mentally it was ready for fledging and has appeared to be very strong, and probably the strongest character in the family this year.

Throughout the morning and afternoon there were numerous more occasions like the one above, and every time it backed off.

In between decision making it did find ways of passing the time, such as when it decided to hang off the wall and say hello to mum when she popped in:

Mum didn't feed number 4, and just did a bit of housekeeping instead.

Number 4 goes up the wall.

So How Did Number 4 Finally Do It?
Well it took some time ... and there was a lot of dithering, encouragement from a parent in the form of a feed at the hole and sheer guts and determination on the side of the chick.

Although it was now very familiar with the concept of the entrance, it had actually been hanging in, on and around it for some 28 minutes before it followed- through.

However, there's nothing like food to get you going:

Sixty seconds later a slightly wobbly number 4 ... well ... fell out of the box!

A quick rush out to the back of house was required!

Was Number 4 OK? - Had it hurt itself? - Could it fly? - Did the parents know what had just happened?

The answers were: Yes, No, Yes and Yes - Phew!

Of course the camera was forgotten in the panic so we couldn't take any photos, and number 4 was hanging in the Conifer hedge and one of the parents was by its side. Within a minute it has flown up and out of sight.

At last number 4 had joined all of the others numbers - the family was now complete.

On a windy afternoon, the final fledgling for 2007 appears to drop to the ground here.

As so often happens after the final one has gone, the parents have been back to the box a few times with food.

Don't know why - they must still be working on autopilot:

Bye bye, we'll miss you all ...

To be truthful number 4 probably won't last long in the world ... but we wish it well, it certainly has some determination.

This was the last time the whole family were together yesterday morning:

So pleasing to have a happy ending after 140 days!