Hi - help/advice would be greatly appreciated.
We have had blackbirds in our garden for a few months now going through the various stages: building the nest, laying eggs, incubation, feeding. The chicks (three of them) must have been hatched for over 2 weeks now and we have been keeping a regular eye on them and even built some protection below the nest to stop the cats getting up there.
Anyway my problem is that I went to have another check on them and could see all three just sitting there in the nest (they're pretty huge now so it always amazes me how they all fit!). However, when I got closer I disturbed them and one flew off to the other end of the garden (into a branch/treey thing in the corner - sorry I'm not a gardener!) - flapping like mad about a metre off the ground. I went inside and waited for one of the parents to return and they did but didn't seem too worried (I was concerend they couldn't find it perhaps). A few minutes later the second one flew out and onto the fence as the parents kept watch and then one of them fed it. Then the final one flew out about 10 minutes later, to the same corner as the first.
I kept watch for about an hour - more due to a guilty conscience than anything else. I have now had another look and cannot see any of the birds and the nest is empty. My questions are:
1. Were they ready to leave the nest or is it just due to me disturbing them?
2. Once they leave the nest for the first time is that it and they never return, or do they have stages to their flying until they are completely accomplished?
3. I lost sight of the first one to fly out, but I'm sure it didn't go very far - would the parents be able to find it fairly easily?
I'm just concerned as they're not fully grown yet (they're kind of short and fat and don't have the same wingspan of their parents yet) that I frightened them out of the nest before they we're ready. Am I right to feel guilty?
Sorry it's so long - thanks very much for reading. Any help would be wonderful!
We have had blackbirds in our garden for a few months now going through the various stages: building the nest, laying eggs, incubation, feeding. The chicks (three of them) must have been hatched for over 2 weeks now and we have been keeping a regular eye on them and even built some protection below the nest to stop the cats getting up there.
Anyway my problem is that I went to have another check on them and could see all three just sitting there in the nest (they're pretty huge now so it always amazes me how they all fit!). However, when I got closer I disturbed them and one flew off to the other end of the garden (into a branch/treey thing in the corner - sorry I'm not a gardener!) - flapping like mad about a metre off the ground. I went inside and waited for one of the parents to return and they did but didn't seem too worried (I was concerend they couldn't find it perhaps). A few minutes later the second one flew out and onto the fence as the parents kept watch and then one of them fed it. Then the final one flew out about 10 minutes later, to the same corner as the first.
I kept watch for about an hour - more due to a guilty conscience than anything else. I have now had another look and cannot see any of the birds and the nest is empty. My questions are:
1. Were they ready to leave the nest or is it just due to me disturbing them?
2. Once they leave the nest for the first time is that it and they never return, or do they have stages to their flying until they are completely accomplished?
3. I lost sight of the first one to fly out, but I'm sure it didn't go very far - would the parents be able to find it fairly easily?
I'm just concerned as they're not fully grown yet (they're kind of short and fat and don't have the same wingspan of their parents yet) that I frightened them out of the nest before they we're ready. Am I right to feel guilty?
Sorry it's so long - thanks very much for reading. Any help would be wonderful!