Birds and their nests 2019/20

[Angeldon]

I used to have loads nesting here but they slowly dwindled and last year we didn't get one at all.

Awww... that's not good, they are so beautiful to watch. They nest each year under the eaves on two sides of our house and it's a pleasure to watch them raise their families - we'd be gutted if they didn't show up. I love to watch their final 'performance' before they fly back to warmer parts... but always very sad (and a little worried for them) to see them go.

[Scarlet]

we'd be gutted if they didn't show up.

I really am gutted ( the OH not so cos they used to nest above where he parked his lawn mower!! )
20 years ago we always had several nesting pairs. I was very sad about it last year.

[Scarlet]

My feeders are always busy. My boys saw the woodpecker yesterday and couldn't quite get their phones out quick enough. One movement and they are gone.

I've several nesting blackbirds, sorry no photos but one always uses my hanging bird feeder. He uses my chiminea as a launching pad. He goes back and for several times.
I need to get a proper camera set up as the feeders are too far away from the window to take a good one....this will give you an idea though


Blackbirds are usually ground feeders so it's fun to watch

[burnie]

Just a gentle reminder now the breeding season is upon us, don't put out bread or whole peanuts that the parents can take to the nest, they feed the chicks and it chokes the babies and kills them. Feeders are fine if the birds have to peck bits out of them rather than chunks.
Personally I don't put feed out from now until September and let the birds forage and eat the bugs and pests in my garden.

[veggiechicken]

Birds and their nests 2020

Its that time of year when our little feathered friends are busy.
Seen any activity in your patch?

Perhaps a Mod could add 2020 to the title please?

[Chrissyteacup]

I know this fella will be eating all my seedlings but still nice to see from our spare bedroom window!

[peanut]

My Blue Tits have nested in the same old nest box for years, they've had tough times, once a woodpecker got his pesky beak in and pulled out the nest, tins chicks scattered all over. I only noticed because there was strands of bedding poking out of the nest hole.
I rushed out, parent birds having a fit, I quickly rebuilt the nest best I could, found all the babies and put them back into the box.
I watched, heart in mouth for a minute or two before the parents went straight back into the nest.
When they had both left the nest I quickly nipped out and put an old wire hanging basket over the front of the box,(I'd seen Bill Oddie do that in his back garden). This didn't bother them in the least.
All the chicks went on to fledge successfully.

The boxes I use now all have hole protectors on.

This year I put up a new box for them and they took to it straight away. I have an old feather pillow, which I have designated for bird use. I made a squidged up ball of chicken wire, filled it with feathers and hung it in an acer. The amount of feathers the Blue Tits have taken to their nest is amazing, it must be so warm and soft, best bedding ever! They fly off with their beaks over full and a flurry of feathers everywhere!

The best thing is that this box is on the wall of my house, near my backdoor, I can sit and watch everything, it's great.

[peanut]

Just seen a Blue Tit flying in and out of next box with beak full of food. I think this is the male feeding the female, she's been staying in the nest overnight for about a fortnight or so.
Won't be long until I have babies!

[PyreneesPlot]

First batch of blackbirds are fledged (3 eggs, 2 fledglings) and within a day or two, and before I'd had a chance to weed the bed right next to them there are 4 more eggs!

[Plot70]

I have had a pair of goldfinches on the feeder at the allotment.
They do look nice.
The house sparrows are back in the roof too.
The house sparrows have found something to feed on in the 12 foot bay tree too.
I have also noticed digging activity in some earth by the back door and suspected rats but on closer inspection there are beak marks so I would guess that it is blackbirds.

[peanut]

Great Spotted Woodpecker was checking out my Blue Tits nest this morning. Blue Tits have been feeding chicks for 2 weeks and I am not going to let this pesky Pecker have his fun . So this evening I have put a wire hanging basket over the front, secured with wire running behind the box. The parents were a little puzzled when they each came back but all seems to be continuing as normal now.
I had to do this several years ago when one pulled out the entire nest plus chicks, thankfully I spotted what had happened and was able to save the chicks, rebuild the nest back into the box and they all went on to fledge, these may even be the same parents or their offspring, at least I like to think so .

[Mark_Riga]

Swallows have been back over a month now flying in and out of the old coal shed - as they have been doing all the 40 years we have lived here and probably a long time before that as well. The house dates back to at least 1850 (though it was a cattle shed then, converted to a house in about 1865). A pair of pied wagtails were eyeing up the swallows patch earlier on. They are still around so must be nesting somewhere close. A blackbird keeps darting in and out of the hedge between us and next doors. Magpies have regularly inspected this hedge looking for nests in thee past so it may come to grief. But there aree plenty of blackbirds nearby so some must succeed. A young robin has recently made an apperance bouncing about on the patio.

[Plot70]

There is a pair of blackbirds that look like they are nesting in some honeysuckle two plots along from me.
The female came down to where I was weeding out my fennel bed and struggled to fly back to the nest with so many worms that she could hardly take off. It was quite amusing to watch.

[annie8]

So the blue tits did best in the box in my Rowan. Love spending my lunch hour watching them go back and forward. They are really working hard.

[Ivanhoe]

A picture of one of the Blue Tit's nesting in the nest box in my garden leaving to get more food for it's chick's.
This year is the first time in 10+ year's this nest box has been used .