Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2019 7:53:27 GMT
Hi I have just noticed Blackbirds with nesting material going into my laurel bush at the top of my garden. I have not been able to take any pictures as I don’t want to disturb them and scare them off. Hopefully I will get a picture soon and invest in a camera which I can leave and postimg.cc/gallery/2q2o2fkqu/
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 26, 2019 15:49:00 GMT
Brilliant you have a blackbird building Kevin, I had one sitting on 4 eggs, Sadly the magpies found the nest and it was shortly lived.
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kevin
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Post by kevin on Apr 26, 2019 15:57:55 GMT
Brilliant you have a blackbird building Kevin, I had one sitting on 4 eggs, Sadly the magpies found the nest and it was shortly lived. It’s always sad when another bird comes along and destroys things. Paul this is the first time birds have ever nested in my small back garden. It’s exciting and great to watch.
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kevin
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Post by kevin on Apr 27, 2019 6:29:28 GMT
It’s great to watch nesting blackbirds coming and going with nesting material, while sitting having a cuppa. The rain does not seem to put them off.
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Post by sammi on Apr 27, 2019 7:57:22 GMT
Good news about your nesting blackbirds Kevin. I get them nesting in my garden too. I saw mine building a nest right by my back door in the ivy on the opposite wall. It has all gone quiet though and I can't see what is happening. I think it's been abandoned. We found a predated egg along the drive under more ivy where they like to nest. They always seem to have trouble with the magpies. Shame
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Post by YorksherLass on Apr 27, 2019 14:10:45 GMT
Good luck with your blackbirds nest Kevin & a belated from me to this "nutty" bird forum! I really hope nothing happens to yours after reading about Paul's blackbird nest & now Sammi is worried too. Same here I think, as a couple were nest building in our ivy on our Big Shed & just like you - I loved watching them to-ing & fro-ing from our kitchen window whilst having a . After that, I was guessing then that eggs were in there, as the male had his beady eyes on all big birds anywhere near it. However, I've not seen the birds going anywhere near it for days. We can't even find the nest at the moment as the ivy is too thick, so won't know until August. BTW - I planted a laurel bush in our garden to replace a hydrangea bush which has died - didn't like the oak tree from next door nicking all the water! All the other bushes on that side are fine & dandy, so hope the laurel can cope with one watering can full a week until late Autumn!
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kevin
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Post by kevin on Apr 27, 2019 14:19:23 GMT
Hi Diane and thanks for the welcome. I’m hoping everything goes well with the blackbirds but I have one predator that likes to feed in my garden and that’s our neighbourhood Merlin.
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kevin
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Post by kevin on Apr 28, 2019 10:36:14 GMT
Still loads of activity going on at my blackbirds nest, gathering nesting material no matter what the weather throws at them. Today is a better day sunny with a slight breeze. The blackbirds seem to enjoy the baked potatoes I made this morning for them. Sorry no pics as I’m new to this and I’m thinking about investing in a camera.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 28, 2019 10:49:06 GMT
Our local blackbirds love cat food, Over the years when cats been fed outside they would eat the leftovers, These days I put a bowl out just for them gone within the hour especially when feeding chicks. Little robin seems to enjoy it aswell, Could also get them some live mealworms when chicks arrive see if they will use them put them in a bowl near the nest on ground so easily found.
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kevin
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Post by kevin on Apr 28, 2019 11:00:56 GMT
Our local blackbirds love cat food, Over the years when cats been fed outside they would eat the leftovers, These days I put a bowl out just for them gone within the hour especially when feeding chicks. Little robin seems to enjoy it aswell, Could also get them some live mealworms when chicks arrive see if they will use them put them in a bowl near the nest on ground so easily found. Hi Paul mealworms will be on the shopping list this Tuesday coming. I have ordered some sunflower hearts from the eBay link you gave me.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 28, 2019 11:18:17 GMT
The smaller birds will love the sunflower hearts, Our blackbirds in garden due to only ever go for the suet blocks / cat food But I do know the love the mealworms aswell, I always put some down for them when I have them in for the blue tit chicks.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2019 12:34:07 GMT
Fingers crossed for your Blackbird nest Kevin! Unfortunately the poor things take a battering from Magpies. They do however produce 3 or 4 broods a season. Our Blackbirds enjoy the bits of sunflower hearts that the Goldfinches discard from the feeders.
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kevin
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Post by kevin on Apr 28, 2019 13:52:48 GMT
Managed to take a quick picture from my IPad of our blackbird gathering more nesting material. It’s not the best picture in the world.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2019 11:12:19 GMT
Great picture Kevin!
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kevin
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Post by kevin on May 2, 2019 16:11:29 GMT
Hi I thought I would update about my nesting blackbirds. With the blackbirds nesting in my laurel bush I have been watching one in particular. No matter what birds come to feed in my garden the blackbirds are scaring them away by dive bombing and loud calling. Is this normal.
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Post by elle on May 7, 2019 21:13:17 GMT
This is absolutely normal behaviour Kevin, Blackbirds are fantastic protective parents and will literally try and do anything to take the focus away from their nests and young! That includes ferocious dive bombing, if you were to go too close, they would squark really loudly & fly very, very close above your head. Normally, it is the male which shows the most aggressive behaviour. Its a shame that not many Blackbird chicks make it to Adulthood, considering how hard they are protected.
Elle xx
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kevin
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Post by kevin on Jun 4, 2019 20:06:53 GMT
Over the last week I have noticed that my laurel bush is housing one blackbird chick. The chick has been out of the nest being feed from its parents. Also I have noticed a lot of starling chicks being fed. It’s great to watch chicks and parents.
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Post by YorksherLass on Jun 6, 2019 8:49:13 GMT
Hi Kevin - great news that you've got one blackbird chick & I hope you carry on seeing him as well. As I said in a previous message somewhere, I stopped seeing my blackbirds go into the ivy, so I think their eggs or chicks were despatched by my two magpies.
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kevin
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Post by kevin on Jun 11, 2019 5:19:43 GMT
Hi Diane I have seen the chick feeding a couple of time with it’s mam. It’s awful when another predator starts to take other chicks.
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Post by YorksherLass on Jun 11, 2019 11:17:31 GMT
Kevin for letting me know that the blackbird chick is still alive & being fed by its Mum - at least the World has one more blackbird in it now!
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