Robins nest - help needed, quick! (1 Viewer)

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helenol

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2005

• #1

Just noticed a robin taking leaves and things to a small site, right next to the driveway. Unfortunately, this is the worst place she could choose to build the nest, open to predators, and there is no way I can even "block" the area off, so to speak, from cats/foxes etc.

What should I do? Should I disturb her (hate to do that, but maybe the lesser of two evils), so that she builds elsewhere? There are zillions of good places all around the immediate area, but she had to choose the most vulnerable spot!

Help!!

 

Mary

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2005

• #2

Maybe she's a first time nester, Helen, and needs to learn from experience. If this nest fails, she'll find somewhere better next time, so long as she survives, of course. Hard to leave her to it, I know!
cheers
Mary

 

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helenol

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2005

• #3

Yeah I know, but I know for a fact she won't last two minutes there, never mind the young ones.

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2005

• #4

Depending on the site Helen, you might try something like a wire basket (hanging basket?) fixed over it? Maybe she'll try elsewhere after your 'disturbance' anyway, with a better chance of success.

Andy.

 

Richard W

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2005

• #5

I've tempted birds into better locations before, esp Spotted Flycatchers which seem to like choosing what look like very exposed places to nest, basket or open fronted box nearby sounds like a good idea.

 

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helenol

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2005

• #6

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully she'll go elsewhere, but she is showing no signs of doing that at the moment! The trouble is, the site is on a bank of chalk and moss, with dozens and dozens of holes made by the field mice and voles, loads of leaf cover everywhere, and brambles. It's very difficult to pinpoint the exact spot she is interested in, as it all looks the same at the moment! Plus, it's difficult access for a human, but a prime target for the cats/foxes etc.

 

John N

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2005

• #7

Difficult decision Helen. Last year in our garden and the year before a Blackbird built in a large shrub. Both times Magpies took the young birds. A blackbird is now building in the same bush and I havn't a clue as what is the best thing to do about it.I know it is only nature but you don't like to stand by helpless. Good luck and I know whatever you decide you will do it with the best intention. Cheers John.

 

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gw4aurora

In eclipse

• Mar 29, 2005

• #8

helenol said:

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully she'll go elsewhere, but she is showing no signs of doing that at the moment! The trouble is, the site is on a bank of chalk and moss, with dozens and dozens of holes made by the field mice and voles, loads of leaf cover everywhere, and brambles. It's very difficult to pinpoint the exact spot she is interested in, as it all looks the same at the moment! Plus, it's difficult access for a human, but a prime target for the cats/foxes etc.

Click to expand...

What you describe is a prime robin nesting site and it may be the best place to nest on its own patch. There might be better places to nest but it may stray onto another robins patch. I don't know your area so I can't say.

Chris

 

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helenol

Well-known member

• Mar 29, 2005

• #9

Thanks John, still not decided what to do, I'll see what happens this next few days.

Chris, thanks for the info. The site I describe is large, (beech and ash woodland, a huge chalk bank covered in moss, and lots of bare tree roots on the edge of the wood with brambles etc., (which slopes steeply down to the driveway). I know there are another few pairs of robins around, but they are busy elsewhere.

Any idea what how close robins can nest from each other?

Regards

 

pauco

Старлин&

• Mar 29, 2005

• #10

helenol said:

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully she'll go elsewhere, but she is showing no signs of doing that at the moment! The trouble is, the site is on a bank of chalk and moss, with dozens and dozens of holes made by the field mice and voles, loads of leaf cover everywhere, and brambles. It's very difficult to pinpoint the exact spot she is interested in, as it all looks the same at the moment! Plus, it's difficult access for a human, but a prime target for the cats/foxes etc.

Click to expand...

Hi Helen, i think you should leave her to the choice she has made, which sounds a good site, good or bad it should be her choice, let nature decide the rest.

 

G

gw4aurora

In eclipse

• Mar 29, 2005

• #11

It really sounds like a good nesting site Helen and I am not surpised it has picked there. If I go walking in a winter morning and robins are singing they usually seem to be about 100 feet apart. There must be info on the web somewhere, anyway lets hope it does well.

Good luck,
Chris

 

W

WMcLean

Well-known member

• Mar 30, 2005

• #12

Well, I don't know how similar your Robins are to ours, but here's an anecdote that may at least entertain you....

My sister watched a pair of Robins carefully build a lovely nest in a birch tree in her front yard. The female grew plumper and plumper each day. Just as the nest was finished (and the female was looking quite fatigued) they had a horrible windstorm and the beautiful nest was blown out of the tree. The female was greatly distressed.

My sister scooped up the nest and plopped it into a plastic butter tub, which she had pierced to create drainage holes, and wired the whole business into position in a nearby but more sturdy crotch of the same tree.

It was a very successful season, with many plump babies fledging from the butter-tub nest. B