[Phthor]

Hello all

A pair of blackbirds made a nest in my holly-like tree (I think its Mahonia) about a month ago. The mother sat on the eggs for a couple of weeks after which I could hear very faint chirping whenever the mother returned. A couple of days after hatching everything went quiet - no sign of the mother (who would normally sit on the young overnight). After a day or two, I inspected the nest to find absolutely nothing there. There was no way that cats could have got to the nest and, from what I can gather from the web, the young would not have been ready to leave the nest. I assume therefore that a magpie or crow has eaten the young.

My question is this: Given that blackbirds have 2-3 broods a year (so I gather), will the blackbirds return to the nest? They now pop into my garden from time-to-time to eat the berries on the very tree housing their nest. If they will not return to the nest, should I remove it to encourage them or others to return? Would it help to replace the nest with a nestbox? I should add that it has been about 2 weeks since the nest was abandoned.

I desparately want the birds to return. They added a real bit of nature to my otherwise dull 20-foot London garden.

Thanks.

[rogerk]

Originally Posted by Phthor

Hello all


My question is this: Given that blackbirds have 2-3 broods a year (so I gather), will the blackbirds return to the nest? They now pop into my garden from time-to-time to eat the berries on the very tree housing their nest. If they will not return to the nest, should I remove it to encourage them or others to return? Would it help to replace the nest with a nestbox? I should add that it has been about 2 weeks since the nest was abandoned.

I desparately want the birds to return. They added a real bit of nature to my otherwise dull 20-foot London garden.

Thanks.

The bad news is, probably not. Blackbirds are notorious for deserting nests and it is highly unlikely that they'll rebuild elsewhere.
Blackbirds will not use a nestbox under any circumstances, but leaving the nest there may encourage another pair to nest next year.
Unfortunately, the breeding season is all but done for most birds, better luck next year.

[Phthor]

Thanks for the quick response. You mention that the breeding season is all but done for most birds. However, I was under the impression that blackbirds have 2-3 broods a year. Will the blackbirds not try again this year? If they do try again, are they likely to return to my nest given that the last clutch was probably snatched by magpies/crows, or are they likely to build a new nest elsewhere? Perhaps they have already built another nest elsewhere?

Thanks again.

[rogerk]

Originally Posted by Phthor

Thanks for the quick response. You mention that the breeding season is all but done for most birds. However, I was under the impression that blackbirds have 2-3 broods a year. Will the blackbirds not try again this year? If they do try again, are they likely to return to my nest given that the last clutch was probably snatched by magpies/crows, or are they likely to build a new nest elsewhere? Perhaps they have already built another nest elsewhere?

Thanks again.

It is highly unlikely that they will build a nest elsewhere. Although it is remotely possible that they will use the old nest to second-brood, again it is most unusual once this nest has been disturbed or predated. Blackbirds are among the earliest nesting Passerines (perching birds) and as such they should already be on their second brood, if not fledging their first.

[Phthor]

Once again, thanks for the very quick reply. Seems like bad news on this occassion. Desparately dissappointing. Oh well, I guess all I can do now is keep the feeders topped-up. A whole year to wait.......

[rogerk]

Originally Posted by Phthor

Once again, thanks for the very quick reply. Seems like bad news on this occassion. Desparately dissappointing. Oh well, I guess all I can do now is keep the feeders topped-up. A whole year to wait.......

Yes Pthor, very bad news. Predation in Blackbirds and Thrushes is commonplace and very upsetting when it occurs in our own gardens, don't remove the old nest though, any signs of disturbance like this could put other birds in the locale off nesting themselves.
As a general rule, once you're happy that you have a new nest in your garden, you should make as few trips to it as possible. Once the eggs have hatched it should be left completely alone. It may sound a bit coy, but if a predator (even a local cat) sees you plodding up and down the garden, it's likely as not to go and find out what you're looking at.

Better luck next year and if you do get a nest, contact the BTO to get a nest record card, even failed nests provide some useful info.

[Seryn]

Please could you explain what this is, I have been lucky nought o get a blackbirds' nest thsi year, the young have been hatched about 10 days...
thanks

[duckula67]

Originally Posted by rogerk

Better luck next year and if you do get a nest, contact the BTO to get a nest record card, even failed nests provide some useful info.

Hi,
Sorry if I sound like a Newbie but I am new to all this, having just registered.
I have a Blackbird nest that has 3 chicks in it. What is the BTO and how do I contact them to get a nest record card please?
Any tips or advice would also be gratefully accepted

Thanks

DUCKULA

[SimonC]

Originally Posted by Seryn

Please could you explain what this is, I have been lucky nought o get a blackbirds' nest thsi year, the young have been hatched about 10 days...
thanks

Originally Posted by duckula67

Hi,
Sorry if I sound like a Newbie but I am new to all this, having just registered.
I have a Blackbird nest that has 3 chicks in it. What is the BTO and how do I contact them to get a nest record card please?
Any tips or advice would also be gratefully accepted

Thanks

DUCKULA

See information HERE

[malkc]

This is a very good question , I have a blackbird nest in my garden , all 4 have now left the nest but still depend on ther mother and father ,

Sadly It looks like only 2 have survived , the mother and father are still very close to the area and I hope she will have a second brood there , The strange thing is for the last 3 years they have nested nextdoor , but this year moved into my garden .

Ps , Welcome the the forum , and hope you have some luck on the return of your birds

Malcolm

[pduxon]

if you are really into Garden Birding then you might want to consider this....

http://www.bto.org/gbw/index.htm

[Seryn]

Hi I am extremely excited having just spotted mr blackbird leaving the conifers where a brood of chicks fledged about 10 days ago, i had been under the impression that blackbirds did not re-use nests and even that old nests should be removed to encourage them to nest again, however, i have just been out and discovered mum sitting in the nest again!

[Phthor]

Originally Posted by Seryn

Hi I am extremely excited having just spotted mr blackbird leaving the conifers where a brood of chicks fledged about 10 days ago, i had been under the impression that blackbirds did not re-use nests and even that old nests should be removed to encourage them to nest again, however, i have just been out and discovered mum sitting in the nest again!

Rub salt in the wound why don't you.

I only hope that blackbirds return to the nest in my garden next year. I fear though that having been predated, they may decide against it. Still, it seems that some birds are rather stupid and nest in the most unsuitable places. So who knows? Fingers cross.

I hope the second brood are equally successful as the first brood. Enjoy!

[Seryn]

it wasn't meant to be mean, actually to offer hope ;/ ovbviously not very succesfully :( no salt rubbing intended...

!! Seryn x

[Phthor]

Originally Posted by Seryn

it wasn't meant to be mean, actually to offer hope ;/ ovbviously not very succesfully :( no salt rubbing intended...

!! Seryn x

I wasn't being serious - who is on this board? It's great news that the blackbirds are sitting again. As I said, I hope the second brood are just as successful as the first.

Phthor

[rogerk]

Originally Posted by Phthor

I wasn't being serious - who is on this board? It's great news that the blackbirds are nesting again. As I said, I hope the second brood are just as successful as the first.

Phthor

I think, to clear up any confusion, we need to go back over the facts.
If a blackbird's first brood is successful, it is very likely that if it is going to second brood (or even third), then it will re-use the same nest.
If the nest has been disturbed or predated, they are unlikely to breed again that year.
It is most unlikely that they will use the same nest the following year but they may well nest in the same bush/hedge/tree etc.
A nest will break down over the space of a year to the point where building a new one takes less effort than trying to rebuild the old one. This is not the case for all birds however, some will use the same nest for years and years, raptors for example.

[Phthor]

Originally Posted by rogerk

It is most unlikely that they will use the same nest the following year but they may well nest in the same bush/hedge/tree etc.

My leatherleaf mahonia (which looks like a 10ft tree) is situated in a corner of the garden. Consequently, there is fencing on two sides of the tree, which the neighbourhood cats use to get around. Not surprisingly, the blackbirds nested on the side of the tree furthest from the fencing. It is not a huge tree/shrub and I am therefore concerned that there might not be too many ideal spots left for the blackbirds to nest.

Bearing in mind what you said, should I remove the nest sometime in winter? Also, the nest is pretty well protected from the elements. Indeed, I still can't believe that magpies managed to predate the nest. If the nest were to remain in pretty good condition, would you still recommend removing it? Is there anything that I can do to encourage the blackbirds to nest in the mahonia next year, e.g. build a platform?

Thanks.

[ianeperson]

If your blackbirds don't return to their nest you might like to follow the progress of ours. We're trying to keep a day by day photographic record of the chick's progress on:

http://www.dedf.co.uk/birdcam/

(Best of luck with your own.)

Originally Posted by Phthor

Hello all

A pair of blackbirds made a nest in my holly-like tree (I think its Mahonia) about a month ago. The mother sat on the eggs for a couple of weeks after which I could hear very faint chirping whenever the mother returned. A couple of days after hatching everything went quiet - no sign of the mother (who would normally sit on the young overnight). After a day or two, I inspected the nest to find absolutely nothing there. There was no way that cats could have got to the nest and, from what I can gather from the web, the young would not have been ready to leave the nest. I assume therefore that a magpie or crow has eaten the young.

My question is this: Given that blackbirds have 2-3 broods a year (so I gather), will the blackbirds return to the nest? They now pop into my garden from time-to-time to eat the berries on the very tree housing their nest. If they will not return to the nest, should I remove it to encourage them or others to return? Would it help to replace the nest with a nestbox? I should add that it has been about 2 weeks since the nest was abandoned.

I desparately want the birds to return. They added a real bit of nature to my otherwise dull 20-foot London garden.

Thanks.

[Phthor]

Well, the plot thickens.

A pair of blackbirds (which are new to my garden) were ripping out lumps of mud and grass from my freshly watered lawn on Sunday. Actually, the hen was doing all the work while the cock kept a watchful eye from the rooftops. She was ripping fairly large chunks out of my lawn, so I put down some muddy compost with grass cuttings, which she happily devoured. She made a large number of visits, flying off with lumps of mud and grass. She then started taking leaves and twigs. So definately nest building. The amount of mud, leaves and twigs that she took seemed far more than a repair job, but I could be wrong. Is there any evidence of blackbirds nest building this late in the year? With typically 3 broods a year, it doesn't sound too fantastical, but the responses in this thread suggest otherwise.

The hen was a rather tame bird, she was walking/hopping around, standing on one leg, preening all within a couple of feet of where I was sitting. She must have spent the best part of the day in my garden. I could go in and out of the house, talk, rustle the newspaper etc, without her flying off. Normally, all the birds fly away as soon as I step out into the garden.

[Zulu Merula]

She could very well be nest building again. The blackbirds in my garden had FIVE broods last year. They are currently feeding their first and the female has started nest sitting in the new nest she's built.

The blackbirds in my garden too are also very tame. I feed them raisins, used to put them out under the Christmas tree by the kitchen door- then when I got up in the morning they'd be standing on the bin looking in through the kitchen door (big plate of glass) for me. So then I started throwing them to the birds themselves, and then as I've been on exam leave and sitting out in the garden revising, the birds are really used to me and come right up to me for food, and one day when I was washing the raisins ready to feed, the male blackbird was waiting by the step, he called to me a cute little trill and I said 'Coming' (I talk to my birds all the time I must sound crazy to my neighbours) and the next thing I knew he'd hopped into the kitchen!

I adore those blackbirds, they're the best.

[michellebeddoe]

hello all

i also love the blackbirds in my garden and am hoping all will be well with the brood in the hedge inbetween my neighbour and my garden. they have a few cats and i'm hoping that the fledgling will not come to any harm when they try leaving the nest. this is the first time i've had birds nesting in my garden and am quite excited! i'm trying my best to keep watch and when ever i hear their alarm call i run down my garden to chase any predators away. i'm not sure if they are doing it just to see me run!!

[Franmol]

Blackbirds will not use a nest again that has been predated although if good nesting sites are at a premium, I've known them to build another nest very close indeed to the predated nest. I don't see any harm in removing the old nest although I've never done it personally on the basis that if it was predated once, it will not be used again anyway and as previously said, it will likely break down - personal choice really, its presence doesn't really matter.

There is no question at all but that Blackbirds will keep on building new nests after having failed ones. Many first time nests fail - inexperienced birds building in inappropriate places, early nesters being hit by sudden bad weather, many reasons. If they gave up after one attempt, the population wouldn't be so healthy. My own garden rarely produces Blackbird chicks because of Magpie and Jay predation and it's not uncommon for my resident Blackbirds to build nests on numerous occasions. Again, in my own garden, they will attempt further nests up until say start/mid July and then they give up.

On the point of Blackbirds using nest boxes, several companies now sell Blackbird nesting boxes and I'm going to get one for next year (hopefully with protective chicken wire/mesh surrounding it). The CJ website has a picture of a Blackbird using one!

[Mary Evelyn]

Several years ago before we took the very old privet hedge out and replaced with Berberis Darwini.The Blackbirds nested in exactly the same spot over a period of 5 yrs.Just to the left of our front gate.We always wondered why they chose that spot when other areas were more private,but it was successful.

[Jason Alexander]

Not sure if you will be interested but I have a live webcam set up on a Blackbird's nest in my garden. There are three chicks growing fast! Let's keep our fingers crossed that they're not found by Mr Magpie!

There's also a few feeder cams set up too, normally quite busy (Goldfinches etc)

You can find them here http://www.birdcamerabox.co.uk/live-cameras.asp