Blackbird nesting

[rustylady]

Lady blackbird has made herself a nest in the passionflower. Bit obvious, but safe (I hope). Is it a bit early? Obviously I won't be pruning the passionflower as I was intending to. She (they) always do this to me. Pick the bush/shrub I was intending to prune to nest in.

[Two_Sheds]

I noticed one of my ladies collecting twigs today. They made a nest in the camellia last year but abandoned it when one of the pesky neighbourhood cats took an interest

[elsie-scot]

Think sometimes the first year they nest they dont always choose the most sensible place. After discovering a blackbird nest with eggs in a conifer I was pruning, I now always check before I go prune crazy

[rustylady]

They always do it to me. Nest in whatever I was planning to prune. Never mind, the garden's not exactly a showpiece anyway. I prefer the wildlife to be happy. (And the grandchildren, although they know they're not allowed to trash the borders and plants)

[SueA]

The pair of blackbirds in our garden look like they're testing out sites for nesting too, they might not settle in the passionflower Rustylady as they sometimes build a few trial nests before settling on one. Our passionflower looks dead on the trellis due to the bad weather so if they choose that in our garden they've had it, it'll have to be cut back eventually!

[janeyo]

can you get some pics? Be lovely to see

We had our conifers cut early this year so the birds hopefully hadn't started to nest.

[bobleponge]

I had a blackbird nest in my honeysuckle last year. I hadnt seen it, decided to start hacking it back as it was a monster, and was properly attacked by Mme Merle, she wasnt happy with me at all.

[Nicos]

Gosh- my passion fruit desperately needs cutting back- the frost has got to the top growth- better check it out and get it down before it's nabbed!!
( blackbirds often have 2 lots of chicks, so it'll look a right mess well into the summer otherwise)

[jogette]

I've had the problem of being unable to prune for several years now. Long-tailed tits (or tennis balls with tails as I call them) have been nesting in a pittosporum bush ....which is now turned into a tree
Bit late for remedial action now, couldn't bear to think of making them homeless

[rustylady]

Been up to check today, and it's a beautiful nest. However not much shelter and it looks as if she may have abandoned it cos it's so wet.

[greasyfire]

i had a blackbird nest last year but the nieghbours cat ate their clutch i got so angry i thred my spade at it but i missed.

[Digger-07]

I noticed blackbirds, and house sparrows picking over the twigs and grass today. there was a bit of a scuffle when the blackbird and sparrow decided to claim either end of the same stick - blackbird didn't stand a chance.

[rustylady]

She's back, and she's got at least two eggs. Just had a quick peek cos I don't want to disturb her too much. Saw the eggs yesterday, and today as I did my walk-past Mr Blackbird was on the nest with her. Much warbling going on, and I think he's taking her tasty titbits. Fingers (and everything else) crossed.

[Fernw]

We inherited Leylandii hedging on two sides in our back garden which we wouldn't have chosen but the blackbirds seems to love to nest high up in it every year and there's been a lot of tooing and froing with nesting materials over the weekend. At least it keeps them safe from the neighbourhood cats. We usually leave trimming the hedge until August just to be on the safe side.
Unfortunately I did find a dead youngster last year and then spotted a hawk on my rotary drier so believe it may have been the hawk.

[tamsin]

We had to take our conifers out the year before last which really upset the blackbirds. They keep showing signs of nesting the the pyracantha growing over our back fence. I'm not sure how suitable that is really though as there is a foot path running behind and the nest must only be 12-18" from the head of anyone going past!