Topic: Someone's been busy today!

[Jayb]

I had a bit of a surprise when I was watering my brassica seedlings this evening, at first I thought strangly some bits had blown into the polytunnel, then I looked a bit closer and found this in the middle of a tray of plants. Pretty sure it is a black birds handiwork, as I've noticed one back and fore today, but of all places she must have thought the shelving resembled a hedge!

[goodlife]

Aww... ;D

So...what is it going to be..sowing new lot of brassicas or black bird having to build new home?.. ;D

[Jayb]

I think as the nest is only a day old, I'll rescue the plants I can, some will have to stay as the nest is resting on them and then add some 'hedge-like' material around the shelf, so hopefully both of us will be happy!
I can grow around and up through the shelving so not too much of a problem. Perhaps she will have had second thoughts and moved somewhere else  ;D

[Jayb]

I noticed two eggs this morning, so she must be ok with my improvised hedge!
Hope it doesn't get too hot in there.

[Ellen K]

Hope it works out for both of you.  That wont be her first nest of the year so perhaps the loss of another one has made her take a risk.

My pair in the back garden are feeding their second.  They had fledgings from the first nest and the rain then reduced cat predation but one day they had all gone  :(

It is a tough life being a Blackbird.

[Ellen K]

What's happening ?  Is she sitting comfortably ?

My lot left the nest yesterday and the parents are still running around with food in their beaks so at least one has survived a night.

[Jayb]

Four eggs and so far she is sitting tight :-\ Fingers double crossed. She seems ok with me pootling through and doing a bit of watering most days.

Is your baby still being fed? I've no idea how long they go on for?

[Jayb]

I took this last week

[Flighty]

Blackbird eggs incubate for 12 to 15 days. Young fledge after 12 to 15 days. 
They lay 3 to 5 eggs, and can have up to five broods in a single season!

[Ellen K]

Glad to hear she is sitting on the eggs.  Over here, Dad is solo feeding two survivors from the 2nd nest and Mum is sitting on her 3rd nest in the Wisteria next to the kitchen window.  The babies can fly now but once the eggs hatch he will move on to feeding the nest and the older kids will have to fend for themselves.

I can hear the youngsters chirping now, it is a wonderful sound.

[Jayb]

Is the incubation period from the first egg or the last?

Sounds brilliant and what a pleasure for you to be able to keep an eye on them, lucky you :)

[goodlife]

Is the incubation period from the first egg or the last?

I think it is from the bird start actually sitting on them..as she won't start sitting on them until she has completed the 'set'. Once the 'bum' is on it stays on.. ;D

[Jayb]

Thanks, I shall get counting for expected hatch date  :)

[galina]

Thanks, I shall get counting for expected hatch date  :)

This is getting 'eggsiting' (sorry ::) ).  Hope all works out for the birds and you will see/hear the chicks soon.

We have lots of birds nesting in the hedge and in the apple tree.  When the youngsters are on their early outings, the parents make a huge racket to distract predators.  Always amazes me how big the youngsters are, just their wings are shorter and they have different colours.  

We have lots of blackbirds.  They can occasionally get very tame and not worried at all by gardener's activities.  I had one that almost mobbed me as soon as I went in the garden, because me digging was a good source for worms.  Had to watch that the deposited soil didn't actually hit this bird, it came within inches of my fork.  This lasted for two seasons, then it must have died, never had one that tame again.

Never had one nesting in the greenhouse either!  This is quite something!

[Ellen K]

Mine always seem to leave the nest on day 12.  You can spot when they hatch because the male starts visiting the nest with food.  And when they fledge she isnt sitting any more.  They cant fly when they first leave the nest so stand by for babies crashing round the poly.   I hope it works out, you are in for a very "interesting" time.

However tame the parents get, they are nervous and protective parents. But they dont easily desert a nest.

[Digeroo]

I have a nest in the forsythia bush.  Just ready to attack the red currants when they ripen up.  I think there is another behind the downpipe from the roof.   They are only a few yards from my redcurrants.  Not sure I am a blackbird fan.

[gazza1960]

Good to read life is going on amoungst the plants,Ima cat luvver but they are so*s when it comes to young birds that have fledged or parents on the ground searching for worms.

Rang mum this sarvo and she was well miffed that a cat had the front to hide under the pagola clocking the resident BB,s that are nesting closeby,she said it even ran across the garden with a branch in its mouth with a BB still hanging on to the other end,but thank goodness she banged a fork on the dustbin as the cat legged it and the BB flew off unharmed..... :o....phew  !!!!!!!!!!!

Her favourite"White Wing" BB has not been seen for a few days and shes convinced he of the whiskery variety has made a snack of it.....hope not as its great to see a bird return for 3 seasons and be so easily identified.

Please keep us posted on your BB,s

Gazza

[Jayb]

Mum was off her nest when I went to water the polytunnel yesterday evening (got soaked as it was pouring with rain and the water butts are outside) I quickly took this picture of the four eggs. All intact, I think today is day 12 ;D

[Ellen K]

Not long now then !!!

My girl is sitting tight though there was a Magpie on the roof above the nest yesterday.

She is quite an old bird now with a yellow beak almost like a male, so she should have known better than to build a nest there.

Still, I will do what I can.

[Jayb]

Magpies don't give up easily, hopefully it doesn't know about your girl  :)

We have had a jay coming to feed under the crab apple tree this week, picking up the bits from the feeders above. The black birds get quite distraught and try and bomb it and chase it from the garden.