Grow Your Own Magazine

We are having problems with a blackbird (female) who is insisting on ruining our back garden. She is picking up beakfulls of mud from any damp place in the garden we have. She has dessimated the pots on the patio where I had some bedding plants hardening off. She has ruined the soil at the side of the waterfall and there are loads of other places we keep finding her digging. She is not going very far but she must come 100 times a day. I have had to barracade the waterfall with stones and she still manages to get underneath. Has anyone else had this problem. We've not before.

What do you think she is looking for?
Nest material? Moisture to drink? Insects???

Can you tell?
Maybe if you were to give an alternative for her to take, maybe she'll leave your pots alone??

Doubt it's the moisture in your case though....

Hope you get it sorted soon!

I tried this morning to give her a plant pot full of moist soil at the place where she was doing the most damage she took all the soil and then started somewhere else. What is she building the biggest nest in the country.

I didn't know they used mud in the construction of their nests....but it says so here- so thats what she's doing!!!

The RSPB: Birds and wildlife: Home, sweet home

...could it be that ALL the local female blackbirds are taking it in turns?? ( not just one??)

She's not looking for mud, blackbirds generally don't use it. She's looking for insects to feed her young. Live and let live. Let her look for insects and by doing that she'll help keep your plants free of insect pests. How perfect do you want your garden to be and how much damage can one blackbird possibly do?

I think you just have to accept it's HER garden Catriona. You may have the title deeds BUT ......

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Thanks Nicos what a very interesting site. After reading that information I think is is all the local lady blackbirds coming to our garden. I've not seen anyone this morning so maybe they have finished their nest building. I hope so.

4 and twenty baked in a pie?

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Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull