Blackbirds
BlackbirdsI noticed a female blackbird gathering nest material from around the pond. Now I know that she'd recently brought up a family, my garden is very bird friendly and we get lots of birdy families visiting, So wondered if they brood twice. Looking online 2 to 3 is normal and sometimes 4 in a good year!
Well I never! Learn summat new most days :) When we were doing a lot of digging in the garden, pre-chicken days, we would take a bowl out and gather any worms turned up when digging, and offer them up to a male blackbird hanging around. He became our bestest bud and would practically beg for them.
Re: BlackbirdsWould you want to be a female Blackbird? 3 broods a year, its no wonder they look worn out!! Funny you say about keeping the worms for them when you garden, we had loads of daddy long legs larve on the allotment last year when we were weeding & the Robin kept coming for them, so when he/she wasn't there when we found one we chucked it in a bucket, in the end he/she just dropped into the bucket & helped themselves!!!! We've made the fatal mistake of buying live mealworms this year, you have to be very careful when you go out the back door for fear of being mugged!! Blackbirds sit on the windowsill & stare at you & the Robin eats out of your hand!!! Ain't wildlife great!!
Re: Blackbirds
did you see the fledglings leave the nest? April was very cool after a mild early spring and that could mean less food available. Then again, as temperatures have slowly been on the rise with the sun climbing higher (before summer solstice), then it's possible after the first lot have left that egg production is back up (also, here in the east we've had very dull cloudy skies for a long time with the sun only just starting to show itself)
Re: BlackbirdsThe young 'uns were all brought into the garden for plentiful feeding times.
Hubbs costs us a fortune in mealworms. We bought 12.5kg about a month ago. I had to point out that he'd fed them a bag (2.5kg) in less than a month. Expensive, this feeding the wildlife lark, wouldn't have it any other way though :) Re: BlackbirdsWe have quite a few blackbirds, male and female and they have been nesting in the Hawthorn hedges.
They are quite aggressive with one another, at least the males seem to be especially around the meal worms and seed we have out. They also love to have a bath in a shallow long tray of water I keep topped up for them. Not seen any babies yet, but we have had loads of baby Dunnocks this year and they are quite cute.
Re: BlackbirdsIsn't it a good job some of us are crazy enough to look after the wildlife we have surrounding us as they have a tough time out there. Nice they bought the young into the garden, I like to think they see it is a safe place for them to come. We have young Blackbirds, Dunnocks & House Sparrows at the moment, haven't seen any young Robins but Dad still comes for the mealworms for them!!
Also shows how important it is to provide water for them (even more so whilst its so dry), I have 3 large plant saucers out for them & its amazing how many times during the day I top them up. Looking after the wildlife is a full time job in itself!!!!!!
Re: BlackbirdsWe have a pond, the chickens use it as well as all the others. We too have a regular male robin, he did bring his lady love once, but no signs of young yet. We overlook the garden most of the day and the robin responds to eye contact, or is that us? We catch his eye, he moves in closer, we pop out with a new load of mealworms, we are well trained! :)
|
Down the LaneRegular entries focusing on Nature in the Garden and beyond
Click here to go there
Poultry Supplies•Chicken Fencing •Drink & Food Feeders •Health & Wellbeing •Red Mite Products •Poultry Feed •Automatic Door Openers •Chicken Keeping Books
Chicken BreedersOver 400 Breeders across the UK now listed.. Chicken Breeders & Other Poultry UK Pages
Ex-Battery Hen |