Zulu Merula
Blackbird's Momma!
Or, more appropriately, a tub of raisins!!
I have been feeding the blackbird family in my garden raisins every day, the male and female are both pretty tame and know to expect them from me. They reared FIVE fledglings from the first nest, and I started feeding those too recently, as poor Dad was getting mobbed every time he landed on the garden, he couldn't even get any raisins for himself as all five fledglings would clamour around him begging for morsels! So I thought, well since they are here and I am here, I will feed the fledglings some raisins, then maybe he'll get a bit of a rest (his mate has been egg sitting). Well, now everytime I go outside, at least one and most often two or three fledglings are following me! They sit at the back door a lot, and if they are up the top of the garden and see me come into the kitchen, they RUN down the garden and cheep at me! Now, it is all very cute and endearing, but the next batch of chicks have just hatched, and the parent birds keep trying to chase the fledglings away- but they just fight back and won't leave! I feel like I am encouraging them to stay with all these easy food offerings, but it's hard to ignore them when they follow me around the garden for food! They have been foraging for themselves too, and I have hidden raisins in various spots all over the garden to encourage them to seek them out for themselves, but whenever I go out, they follow me around or sit at my feed looking expectant. I don't want to be making them dependent on me, so should I stop feeding them?
I have been feeding the blackbird family in my garden raisins every day, the male and female are both pretty tame and know to expect them from me. They reared FIVE fledglings from the first nest, and I started feeding those too recently, as poor Dad was getting mobbed every time he landed on the garden, he couldn't even get any raisins for himself as all five fledglings would clamour around him begging for morsels! So I thought, well since they are here and I am here, I will feed the fledglings some raisins, then maybe he'll get a bit of a rest (his mate has been egg sitting). Well, now everytime I go outside, at least one and most often two or three fledglings are following me! They sit at the back door a lot, and if they are up the top of the garden and see me come into the kitchen, they RUN down the garden and cheep at me! Now, it is all very cute and endearing, but the next batch of chicks have just hatched, and the parent birds keep trying to chase the fledglings away- but they just fight back and won't leave! I feel like I am encouraging them to stay with all these easy food offerings, but it's hard to ignore them when they follow me around the garden for food! They have been foraging for themselves too, and I have hidden raisins in various spots all over the garden to encourage them to seek them out for themselves, but whenever I go out, they follow me around or sit at my feed looking expectant. I don't want to be making them dependent on me, so should I stop feeding them?
