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Post by YorksherLass on May 23, 2019 15:21:15 GMT
As soon as I've posted this message I'm going offline to sit in the garden to unwind, because I found out a couple of hours ago that I have joined "the grieving group" as well as so many others on here this lousy year!
Gerry took the lid off the nestbox & then my heart broke. 
Straight away I saw that Mr. GT Merlin was dead from his size & then I thought there were three dead chicks with him, but after taking the sad photo below, I very carefully took them all out ready for burial (with flowers) in the garden. There were 5 chicks altogether, 2 were hidden under 3 chicks, not far off fledging.
I'm guessing it's pesticides from the new build over the back fence, as all those people didn't move into their properties until June last year & this has never happened before. I saw Merlin on the morning of the 21 May still bringing caterpillars from the oak tree next door (no pesticides anywhere in gardens alongside me) but as others have said, what has he eaten himself and fed the chicks with - something been sprayed or slug pellets laid down?
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 23, 2019 15:34:48 GMT
Oh Diane, What a horrible sight that must of been for you  I wonder what happened? They all look untouched. Normally things like this happen when mum or dad don't come back to the nest all chicks die, If you said an adult bird is also dead in the nest this is strange. Your box is on a wall isn't it? So nothing can climb up to it easily? If so you could be right about being poisoned  Really sad my heart breaks for you  |
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Post by suep on May 23, 2019 16:37:42 GMT
Diane, my heart goes out to you. I am so saddened for you. I truly know how upsetting this is to witness. Big hugs from me  . Maybe Merlin was injured trying to protect his chicks - are there any visible marks on him? This happened once in Malcolm and Elizabeth’s box. Or maybe he ate something himself and the chicks have perished as a result of starvation. Bless, they are so close to fledging. Whatever it was Diane, Merlin did you and the chicks proud by his efforts to try and raise them alone. Cannot tell you how genuinely upset I am for you. What an awful year this has been. So so sorry Diane.  Sue |
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Post by sammi on May 23, 2019 17:09:34 GMT
Such a shock for you Diane! Goodness knows what could have happened. It is always so sad after so much hard work goes into nesting. Only a thought but the bto may be interested to know and they will send you packaging to send the poor dead bird to them to investigate the cause.
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chrisp
Junior Member
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Post by chrisp on May 23, 2019 17:23:53 GMT
Diane, I’m so so sorry you had to witness such a sad sight.
Especially with them being so near to fledging. There seem to be so many unexplained deaths this year.
I agree it has been such an awful year one way and another. I for one shall be glad when it’s over.
Chris
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Post by Amanda on May 23, 2019 17:58:02 GMT
So sorry to see this My heart goes out to you too |
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Post by elle on May 23, 2019 21:27:07 GMT
OMG Diane, what an absolute shock!! Im not convinced that all these deaths are not related in some way, too coincidental for my liking  We all live in different parts of the country, yet we have all had more than normal deaths!! So it can’t be environmental! Unless there is a deadly disease happening with the oak trees/caterpillars  Did you feed yours mealworms by any chance?? Cos I hope I’m wrong but I’m leaning towards the food! We all get them from same suppliers! I do hope your answer is No you haven’t fed mealworms!!! im so sorry Diane, it’s so upsetting for us, but even more devastating for the population. I’m absolutely gutted for you, my heart goes out to you Elle xx |
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Post by Ann70 on May 24, 2019 7:06:36 GMT
diane, im sorry to hear of your upsetting news, and very suddenly when everything was going well, i have my fingers crossed that everyone else including myself have their chicks fledge safe and then we all can put this season behind us martha is still very busy feeding them, i have no idea what i will find once fledging has taken place   |
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Post by suep on May 24, 2019 8:18:13 GMT
Did you feed yours mealworms by any chance?? Cos I hope I’m wrong but I’m leaning towards the food! We all get them from same suppliers! I do hope your answer is No you haven’t fed mealworms!!! Elle, I know I haven’t a clue what happened to mine, but if they did perish it definitely wasn’t the mealworms with mine as they never once went near them. . Is it worth someone asking livefoods direct or waxworms uk if they know of any problems with the foods.? Can’t get over how many tragedies on here this year, never known anything like it and we are a small percentage of what must be happening countrywide. Sue |
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Post by blueeyedchick on May 24, 2019 12:39:13 GMT
Oh Diane just spotted your post. I was shocked to read that Merlin had died in the box how odd? I understand that parents can die very quickly from exhaustion during the breeding season and it may just have been coincidence that his heart gave out in the box. It's a guess of course. Do you really think it is pesticides has there been any spraying recently further out of your area as his foraging grounds might have been more extensive than first thought, the people I know use organic liquids but some don't care a fig about the knock on effects of their actions? Whatever the cause so distressing for you and a waste of life. |
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Post by Beechnut on May 24, 2019 13:41:32 GMT
Sorry that this has happened to you Diane, it must really have knocked you back, especially not knowing what had been going on inside the box.
2019, for so many on here has been the worst for many a year. It will be interesting to see if there's any mention of it on Springwatch next week.
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chrisp
Junior Member
Posts: 99
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Post by chrisp on May 24, 2019 13:52:58 GMT
I’ve had 4 orders of mealworms from Livefoods Direct this year and the parents have fed them constantly over the last three weeks.
They’ve also been eating themselves for a while before egg laying.
They always come the next day so there’s no being held up to deteriorate.
I would imagine they are very carefully screened anyway .
I expect this will be something we never know the answer to.
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Post by YorksherLass on May 24, 2019 15:03:19 GMT
Thank you everyone for your lovely messages & hugs, particularly seeing as too many members have had the same or similar happen to them as well. I admit that I cried buckets again after I posted my message, so afterwards I just sat in the garden for a long time. I decided to get all the tears over in one day, so I buried them all in the garden with their flowers & I know exactly where they are.  The box is on a wall, I've never seen anything climb up the ivy to it, neither cats nor squirrels. All of the birds were untouched, intact & they "could" have just been sleeping - except for the "dead" look. No, I didn't feed them with mealworms so you can all stop worrying about that being the cause. I still think it's the people in the new build, over the back fence behind the Big Shed, spraying something, as my two big ivy plants on there planted 5 & 3 years ago, have suddenly yellowed & shrivelled at the top, plus yellowing & dead brown leaves further down, but the bottom of them both is still green & healthy - as though something is killing them from the top then eventually down to the roots themselves. The rest of the ivy plants are fine in the garden, including the ones on the Big Shed thank goodness & so are all the bushes on the back fence, including the one next to one of the ivy plants - but all those back onto the next door neighbour of "the suspected culprit". (For those who may not know what I'm talking about re the above, photos of my garden are in the Garden Visitors section - link below.)
I agree that 2019 is a lousy year! Anyway, thanks again to everyone, I'll catch up tomorrow with all your postings. |
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Post by YorksherLass on May 24, 2019 15:18:35 GMT
R.I.P. Merlin & family but this is how I choose to remember you:
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Post by suep on May 24, 2019 15:28:52 GMT
R.I.P. Merlin & family but this is how I choose to remember you:
Well done Merlin for trying so hard. yahoo_clap |
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Post by sammi on May 24, 2019 15:39:53 GMT
Lovely picture Diane 😢
It does sound very suspicious doesn't it? I hate all chemicals in the garden. Such an awful waste. I wonder if people just don't know the fall out from their actions. I would ban the lot!
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. Maybe Merlin was injured trying to protect his chicks - are there any visible marks on him? This happened once in Malcolm and Elizabeth’s box. Or maybe he ate something himself and the chicks have perished as a result of starvation. Bless, they are so close to fledging. Whatever it was Diane, Merlin did you and the chicks proud by his efforts to try and raise them alone. Cannot tell you how genuinely upset I am for you. What an awful year this has been. So so sorry Diane. 
We all live in different parts of the country, yet we have all had more than normal deaths!! So it can’t be environmental! Unless there is a deadly disease happening with the oak trees/caterpillars 
