When I checked the nest three days ago, there was no change, except that the five eggs had been moved around — presumably while the mother was fussing over them.

This afternoon I saw an unusual amount of activity — both parents flying to and from the nest box — so I decided to check when I was sure they were both absent, and this is what I found. The chicks are presumably hatching in the order in which the eggs were laid, which would account for the three different sizes.

I’m being careful not to disturb the parents. The nest box has a hinged front, so it’s easy to check. I open it, stick the phone in, click, and close the box. It takes five seconds.