blackbird encounter!

[janeyo]

I have just had an amazing encounter with a beautiful blackbird!

I was sitting on my kneeler handweeding where the spuds will go, when down he flew and hopped a little bit closer and a littlle bit closer til he was right under my arm and a few cms away from my fork!
He had his eye on the tasty morsels I was digging up and proceeded to bash a slug to death under my nose, spraying dirt everywhere, then he filled his beak with several worms and grubs and flew off.

He must have been wise to the fact that I was providing his lunch as he came back 3 times and did the same!

That has really put a smile on my face today

I have had a similar meeting with a very tame thrush and a robin, but never a blackbird!

[lottie dolly]

How lovely,a good feeling when touched by nature

[Two_Sheds]

My lady blackbird has just decided that I'm her new best friend: she's almost eating from my hand (soaked sultanas)

[donnakebab]

I'm with the blackbird on that one (though I'm guessing she might not go for ones soaked in brandy).

Really must sort out a new feeder for lottie as the old one seems to have been vandalised!

[pauco]

Yup, we are their best friends at this time of year, and with hungry mouths to feed you will have
plenty of visits. Nothing more rewarding than Blackbirds/Robins/Thrushes, the tame ones of the
avian world putting their trust in us humans, it really is heartwarming to be a part of their lives this time of year.

paul.

[steve533]

I go fishing quite a lot and robins, chaffinches and others sit by you and squalk at you for food - just throw them some corn or maggots and they collect fly off and pop back again. They become very tame often only inches away as they look for food.

I even had a baby goldfinch land on my head - scared the hell out of me!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Blackbirds seem to be really unconcerned about humans and respond really well if talked to. I've named my one Charlie.

[cactuskiller]

Lucky you!!! ) I am soo jealous...I fell in love with a little blackbird that sings every day outside our house..once I learnt it was a blackbird I scurried off to B&Q to buy a bird feeder and fat balls and nuts and seads...I even went and bought live mealworms..in hope he would come into my garden...no luck yet. However I have frequent visits from loads of house sparrows..a robin..a blue tit and a loan magpie (who suprisingly is more shy than the smaller birds).

Any tips for encouraging the blackbirds? I even tried scattering seed all over the floor (black tarmac so it stands out well enough!!)

[Jeanied]

Try the soaked dried fruit option Cactuskiller - my crab apple tree has some wizened fruits still hanging on it - as well as the new leaves and flowers - and the blackbirds and thrushes are still feeding from it.

I would love to see some more sparrows in my garden but they are pretty scarce round here. I get loads of goldfinches, greenfinches and tits instead.

[cactuskiller]

Thanks jeanied...I'll get some raisens and maybe even a few apples..surely they couldn't miss bright green apples against black tarmac!! Fingers crossed )

[salilah]

Mine has been named Fred - he's quite small (well I assume he is a he, very orange beak!) and has lost a couple of tail feathers - but incredibly "tame", he'll follow me up and down the garden and got very close to where I was planting out the peas... Other blackbirds at the top of the garden scare him off a bit, but I think he's worked out his USP is getting really really close, so of course he gets all the worms! Flies off into the leylandii just by the greenhouse, followed by the sound of very enthusiastic small chirps (isn't it too early for little ones?)

I've got used to robins (yes we usually have 2, which is strange) coming really close, but it's the first time for the blackbirds... I'll try the dried fruit soaked, thanks for the suggestion!

[Two_Sheds]

once I learnt it was a blackbird I scurried off to B&Q to buy a bird feeder and fat balls and nuts and seads.

Blackbirds can't use hanging bird feeders like blue tits do: you'd have to hang it quite low, or inside a bush. They're ground feeders mostly, but mine feed from fat balls hung in the lower branches of my camellia

[cactuskiller]

Thanks Two Sheds..I had the meal worms in the tray about 30cm from the ground and some worms and seed scattered on the floor.

Hopefully when I get some plants in the garden I can add some additional low level feeders for them. I put a whole loose suet ball in the bottom feeder last night with two apples and this morning the whole ball was gone!!! I suspect Mr Magpie will be feeding happily for the next couple of days lol

[Two_Sheds]

I put a whole loose suet ball in the bottom feeder last night ... this morning the whole ball was gone!

You haven't got rats have you? My suet balls last weeks with the blackbirds ...

[cactuskiller]

We live in small estate in the sticks and have spotted the odd rat running along the path beside the field...so thinking about it there may be a very happy ratty family somewhere!!! lol that would be a funny sight to witness..a rat running carrying a full size suet ball lol bless.

bearing in mind I just bought a blow away to grow my own veg I think I'd better not encourage the rats, as much as I like them I dont want them on my veggies!!!