Help with daft birds

[Scarlet]

Lovely! .

[Nannysally99]

Big smiles NG, how lovely

[Guest]

Just to let you know all four have hatched. They look yucky pink things with strands of long dark fluff coming off them so I would think only a day or two old

[1Bee]

Fabulous!

We had a very stressful time when blackbirds nested at head height in our honeysuckle in our small, enclosed back yard. That would be the back yard backing on to the farm yard where there is a huge incestuous tribe of half-feral cats. Also we have two cats.

And Blackbird fledglings are flightless for a couple of weeks when they first get out of the nest.

*twitch*

My cats have still not forgiven me for making them house cats for two weeks in the best of the weather. We named the fledgling Bilbo, and it got to the stage that his parents would come and feed him when I was working in the back yard as long as I was moving carefully and being quiet. Otherwise, if I was outside with the 4yo, I'd hear their protests and Bilbo's replies and go inside for ten minutes to let them feed him.

With no evidence to the contrary, we *think* he made it. Certainly if he expired it wasn't within our yard. Phew.

It was lovely to see them at work and I learned a massive amount about them and their calls.

But I did so worry about him!

[ancee]

Oh you lucky thing! How lovely! A nature programme in your own back yard

[Guest]

Just a quick update. Unfortunately, there are now only three and Mum is going flat out feeding them. They are now at the funny fuzzy stage and they wing feathers are starting to come through.

[Guest]

They are all grown up. They left home Monday. They are working around the garden but yesterday they seemed to enjoy the veg patch and making me jump by keep flying out of the undergrowth

[Jay22]

Gorgeous NG, thanks for the updates!

[Guest]

The fact I have reincarnated this thread you can kinda guess what has happened. I went to water and she shot out of the same wall planter as last year. Looked and she has built a new nest and sat on 4 eggs. I thought the pied wagtails were all done for this year as they were all busy a while ago, hadn't noticed anything recently

[cheops]

You are blessed Norfolk and you should feel honoured. Wild birds are not daft and in their opinion their nest is safe. That is a compliment to you. And they know you have the cats beaten.
My humble advice would be that you carry on as normal [apart from watering or picking strawberries from those strawberry plants]. Your normal behaviour has in the past made them feel safe and secure enough to build where they have so carry on as you normally do. Bask in the knowledge that nature has chosen you as an ally.

[Snoop Puss]

They must know by now it's a well-used path and have still decided to go ahead. They probably even know it's a cat-free zone! I'd leave them be.

[Guest]

Ty. I just hope it goes as well as last year. There was another lot of fledglings the same time as mine but they looked a bit thin and scruffy. I was so proud of my chubsters. Just hope Mum does it again this year. Fingers crossed

[Nannysally99]

Looking forward to more photos NG

[Bigmallly]

I've known a few daft birds in my time NG but I think yours are rather intelligent.

[Guest]

Just a couple of quick piccies. Had a bit of a scare this morning. Next door neighbour have recently got a cat and it is still exploring territory and it was eyeing up another planter I chased it away but fingers crossed it isn't persistant.



You can just make out a tiny bit of white of Mums head in the middle of the pic.