I am not sure how I am going to find a way to write this week's mail. It has been a momentous wildlife week!

As I mentioned last week, I had calculated the expected hatching dates for the chick in the gannet nest I am following at RSPB Bempton. Hatching is usually 42-44 days after laying, and I knew the laying date to within three days. So I had a window of around five days when hatching could occur. I wanted to be there!

On the first of these, it was evening before I could visit. On this occasion, I would only have about an hour at the nest, but I hoped this would be long enough for me to assess what was happening. As usual, I had to wait for the adult to stand up to see into the nest. So I was really happy when I caught my first glimpse of the egg. I hadn't missed it hatching! The sun was setting behind the nest and there wasn't much daylight left. Just as I was thinking I'd need to leave, the adult stood up again in a slightly different position... and took my breath away... did I just see what I thought I saw? My view was partially blocked by a big thistle with flower and seed heads that the pair had incorporated into the side of the nest facing me. Was it a dark part of the thistle playing tricks on me in the fading light, or had I just seen a hole in the egg?! I of course had to stay longer. The adult soon obliged by moving again. This time I felt more certain that I was seeing a small hole in the egg and perhaps even a glimpse of movement. Chick had started to hatch! How absolutely wondrous. I was reluctant to leave but consoled myself by deciding I would come back as early as possible the next morning.

As soon as I got home I read up on hatching. I was excited to find out that the hatching process can take 12-24 hours. I didn't know how long it was since the chick made the hole. But there seemed a reasonable chance that they would not have hatched by early morning. How incredible if I was able to witness more.

Making that first hole apparently takes a huge effort from the chick. It uses a special temporary 'egg tooth' structure at the end of the bill to chip away at the shell to do this, a process called 'pipping'. The hole enables the chick to breathe air for the first time. It then rests for hours to recover from this stage. The next stage is 'zipping' in which the chick cracks the shell in a circle around the egg, followed by 'the push' in which it pushes with head and feet to free itself from the shell. What a tremendous feat for a tiny little blind being.

The next day was indescribable. Totally awesome to witness. For most of the time, my view of the brooded egg/chick was totally hidden or partially obscured by the adult's body. So I stayed pretty much glued to the nest with my binoculars as often a sighting of the egg/chick was a mere glimpse for just a second or two. But timeline highlights went something like this:

7.48am first glimpse of egg, female on nest; 8.57am hole first seen; 10.10am male returns to nest, greeting and bonding behaviour with female; 11.09 am 'handover' - female leaves nest site and male settles quietly on nest; 1.45pm crack seen right round egg, cap ready to come off; 2.55pm empty half shell seen; 3.48pm saw male nuzzle chick's head; 4.12pm full view of chick. Head and neck out of the shell but body still inside the other half of egg. Chick has hatched! Estimated birth time 2.45pm. Born blind, grey, naked and helpless. And totally wonderful.

Such a long mail to you today. But I hope it has conveyed some of the miracle of creation and our natural world, and the profound experience it can be to witness it closely. For me, nothing compares.

This week's self-kindness invitation is to reflect on what passion it is for you that nourishes you most deeply at all levels of mind, heart and soul. And then gift yourself by dwelling with the feelings of joy etc. it evokes, and if possible gift yourself the direct experience. Profound self-kindness.

Go well.

In warmth and kindness

Barbara