Blackbird nesting - or what? (1 Viewer)

thebirdcam said:

I think in your case above Elizabeth, what happened was the birds came back for a second try and the last 3 eggs layed the first time around had not had time to start incubating so started along with the 3 new eggs that had been laid....the first 5 eggs that were layed being part way through incubation died during that spell when the nest was deserted.

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John - incubation did not start at all until all the eggs had been laid!

The Tom said:

Seems to be lots of Blackbirds up on my allotment this year but not many magpies .Lets hope the Blackies can have a good year and make up some ground .There is a pair sitting tight in the conifers by the fence so must be due to hatch . Ive even seen the odd Song Thrush and a Wren with looking for lodgings happy days

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Had a peep in at the Blackbirds four fine chicks look to be about a week old all seem to be nice and plump the cock seems to be working his socks off in the feeding department haven,t seen the hen much must be shy .

Aww bless, I love blackbirds. We always have a lot of blackbird activity around here, the resident blackbirds (who I love dearly!) have raised 3 fledglings so far, the female has built another nest and is probably laying/incubating by now as I've not seen much of her. The male continues to feed the fledglings... one of them is getting really dark across its wings so I think its a male. They have almost full tails now and are getting better at flying. Mr and Mrs Blackbird are both really used to me, so much so in fact I'm sure they come asking me for food- I put out raisens underneath a Christmas tree that's pretty close to the back door, and on quite a few occasions when I've got up or come home and gone into the kitchen, one of them has been standing on the bin looking into the kitchen window as if to say 'where's our raisens then?'

In fact yesterday, Mr Blackbird was sitting under the Christmas tree calling: he may have been calling to his fledglings but I think he may also have been calling for a bit of extra help- to get me to come and put some food out!

When it's a nice day and I sit in the garden, if I see the birds I shake the raisen container and this makes them look alert and run towards me, anticipating their food!

Blackbirds nesting

We have a Blackbird nest in our Ivy but worried when after furious nest building the birds seemed to disappear. The nest is near our pond and I was worried the birds had been scared away by my pond peering! A quick check confirmed eggs were present but still no sign of mother bird. Two days later I spot her sneaking in.Eggs seemed to be cold when I saw them, can anyone advise how long do blackbirds spend NOT incubating?

JenWren said:

We have a Blackbird nest in our Ivy but worried when after furious nest building the birds seemed to disappear. The nest is near our pond and I was worried the birds had been scared away by my pond peering! A quick check confirmed eggs were present but still no sign of mother bird. Two days later I spot her sneaking in.Eggs seemed to be cold when I saw them, can anyone advise how long do blackbirds spend NOT incubating?

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If blackbirds behave the same way as bluetits, they won't start incubating until the clutch is complete, or almost complete. The eggs can remain viable for a long time - two years ago there was a fight outside one of our nest boxes after some eggs had been laid, and everything stopped for over two weeks, until 3 more were laid and incubation then started. Finally 6 eggs hatched from a total of 11.

Elizabeth Bigg said:

If blackbirds behave the same way as bluetits, they won't start incubating until the clutch is complete, or almost complete. The eggs can remain viable for a long time - two years ago there was a fight outside one of our nest boxes after some eggs had been laid, and everything stopped for over two weeks, until 3 more were laid and incubation then started. Finally 6 eggs hatched from a total of 11.

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Thankyou. Saw her sitting on them today. Fingers crossed! :bounce:

That's good news Jen - hope all goes well. We are now watching our two bluetit parents working overtime to feed the seven chicks!