Blackbird Nest

[Tresco]

I've just noticed what seems to be a very vulnerable blackbirds nest in the garden, with 4 eggs in it. 

It's sitting on top of the pile of dead branches and twigs that I pile up next to the compost bins for some little critter/s  winter home. The blackbird flies off every time we take composting material over there. We thought it was different birds eating grubs and worms next to the heap, not one or two birds building and sitting on a nest.

Now I've seen the nest I can't believe I never saw it before. [:$]

It's only about 3 feet off the ground and it seems completely exposed to me. I've got a cat, and there are a couple of strays that knock around too. Any cat hearing those chicks peeping will try and climb up the pile to invesigate. If they try to climb the pile, it could collapse, as the top part of it is thinnish twigs. Alternatively they could easily get to the nest via the compost bin, which is made of wooden 'slats',  and is about a foot higher than the nest. The nest is within 3 inches of the open slats, and the level of compost at the moment would give the cats a perfect position to swipe.

The birds don't seem to mind us popping over there, but how much time at a go can I spend rigging up some defenses, (how long would the bird normally leave the eggs alone?) or would it be better to leave well alone?

 

 

 

[chris pp]

Hi Tresco,  Seems like an incredibly dumb place for a blackbird to build its nest! I reckon your going to have to do what you can and hope for the best and maybe accept the worst. As long as you don't touch the eggs you can probably disturb them for about 15 / 20 minutes at a time and leave 2 or 3 hours before having to do it again, it's all a bit fingers crossed but little to lose by the sounds of it.

Good luck, Chris

[Tresco]

Thanks very much Chris.

I won't need to touch the eggs or the nest at all. I reallly hadn't got a clue how long the birds could be off the nest so the advice about the time periods is very helpful. [:)]

I've been watching and they always enter the nest from the same direction so I might be able to rig some chicken wire defenses up over the next few days. I love spending quality time with my compost, but I'll try and limit the disturbances from now on.

I didn't want to be the one to say it was a crazy place to build a nest, but this explains the old (well, new) Charentaise expression, 'Madder than a Charentaise Blackbird'. [:)]

 

[Dick Smith]

I think it may be natural selection. Could these be first-time nesters? If so, they may not be good parents, either.

[Tresco]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]I think it may be natural selection. Could these be first-time nesters? If so, they may not be good parents, either.[/quote]

Fair enough, but the certain death of the chicks at the hands of Bobby the Long Eared Circus Cat seems a high price to pay for their parents youthful mistake.[;-)]

 

[Dick Smith]

But if the chicks were to inherit that behaviour...

Some birds are remarkably unadaptable. We have Canada Geese on our ponds (in Carshalton) and they have largely ousted the grey geese that were there before. Canada Geese nest on the banks and don't protect their eggs/young very well, so the foxes have them. So we no longer have a breeding population, goslings etc. just visitors. There is a fox-proof island 25 yards away...

[chris pp]

Interesting example Dick, what makes it interesting is that the Canada geese were introduced as an alien species, something which is Internationally outlawed these days or supposed to be.

So they cause problems for the native geese but aren't adapted to foxes as far I understand what you have said. Domestic cats, and I say this without any offence to cat owners including ourselves, are also not native to Europe and kill a lot of birds, so I'm not sure where this leaves us except with happy cats and foxes. Fortunately, as things stand, neither Canada geese or blackbirds are in too much difficulty, or urban foxes for that matter!!

Chris

[Owens88]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]I think it may be natural selection. Could these be first-time nesters? If so, they may not be good parents, either.
[/quote]

Ehum.

Chav-Birds ?[:D]

[Dick Smith]

Chick-parents?

Wayne and Waynetta Blackbird?

[Miki]

eeeeeek

[Dotty0]

Like the new avitars chaps. [:D]

[Tresco]

I like the 'eeeks' better than the Avatars.

I'm not too sure about all this 'Trescos blackbirds are Chavscum-Waynetta' types though.  [6]

[Tresco]

They're hatching. [:-))]

One out, three to go. It look likes a big juicy maggot covered in a very fine shawl of translucent fluff.  [:D]

How do they get out of the egg without a beak?

 

 

[chris pp]

That's incredibly early in the year Tresco, I know you're a couple of weeks ahead in Maritime but that's amazing.

Good luck with the others, Chris

[Tresco]

[quote user="chris pp"]That's incredibly early in the year Tresco, I know you're a couple of weeks ahead in Maritime but that's amazing.

Good luck with the others, Chris [/quote]

I think  we're going to need the luck Chris. There's just one egg left. The other two must have hatched too yesterday, but there's no sign of any of the babies now. [:(]

It is still very chilly at night. Maybe you're right and it's just too early. Or, maybe Dick was right all along, and they simply aren't good parents.