[Zulu Merula]

Well if you remember my thread from last time, we'd had success with Soot and Smudge's first brood (however strangely there is only one fledgling who seems to have survived- I don't know what happened to the others, there were at least three in the nest) and I was excited because Smudge had built the next nest in a climbing plant opposite our conservatory, so I could see all the goings on from in there. I was really looking forward to the chicks hatching and being able to actually SEE their progress (unlike in conifers as they are so dense!). Well she's been sitting faithfully for what seems like ages now, then this morning she was flying in other bushes and I thought, that's strange, it's like she's looking for where to build her next nest. I figured perhaps that's what she was doing, just a little prematurely. Soot also flew in a few bushes (he does help her out to some extent bless him) and I just thought he was being bonkers! But this afternoon, she left the nest for a long time and hasn't starting sitting again since. While she was gone I got out a chair and stood on it to see inside the nest and there is only one egg, which I definitely find unusual! So, it seems to me like the one egg she's been so faithfully sitting isn't going to hatch. It is a shame because she's been a very good mother- she's hardly been off the nest (until today) and times when she has, Soot has taken over the sitting for her. I have no idea what could have caused such a strange phenomenon though- I know sometimes, for some reason, eggs don't hatch (aren't fertilised properly?) but I've never known a nest to only have one egg. Does anyone have any ideas what may have caused this? I am interested in knowing. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow, though I suspect I will see Smudge gathering new nesting materials and starting over. Such a shame, I was really so excited about the chance to actually be able to see the chicks growing and being fed!

On a happier note, the linnets seem to be doing okay. As their nest is way high up in a conifer I have no idea what stage they are at, but they seem to still be brooding, and they seem to be sharing it (I don't really know about Linnets as we've only ever had one nest from them 14 years ago when I was a kid!). The male comes down and lands on the washing line, twittering to the female, then he flies in and minutes later she flies out. Neither of them have been bringing food so I am assuming they are still brooding, but me sitting in the garden a little this afternoon didn't put them off any rate!

[snapper]

Originally Posted by Zulu Merula

Well if you remember my thread from last time, we'd had success with Soot and Smudge's first brood (however strangely there is only one fledgling who seems to have survived- I don't know what happened to the others, there were at least three in the nest) and I was excited because Smudge had built the next nest in a climbing plant opposite our conservatory, so I could see all the goings on from in there. I was really looking forward to the chicks hatching and being able to actually SEE their progress (unlike in conifers as they are so dense!). Well she's been sitting faithfully for what seems like ages now, then this morning she was flying in other bushes and I thought, that's strange, it's like she's looking for where to build her next nest. I figured perhaps that's what she was doing, just a little prematurely. Soot also flew in a few bushes (he does help her out to some extent bless him) and I just thought he was being bonkers! But this afternoon, she left the nest for a long time and hasn't starting sitting again since. While she was gone I got out a chair and stood on it to see inside the nest and there is only one egg, which I definitely find unusual! So, it seems to me like the one egg she's been so faithfully sitting isn't going to hatch. It is a shame because she's been a very good mother- she's hardly been off the nest (until today) and times when she has, Soot has taken over the sitting for her. I have no idea what could have caused such a strange phenomenon though- I know sometimes, for some reason, eggs don't hatch (aren't fertilised properly?) but I've never known a nest to only have one egg. Does anyone have any ideas what may have caused this? I am interested in knowing. I'll let you know what happens tomorrow, though I suspect I will see Smudge gathering new nesting materials and starting over. Such a shame, I was really so excited about the chance to actually be able to see the chicks growing and being fed!

On a happier note, the linnets seem to be doing okay. As their nest is way high up in a conifer I have no idea what stage they are at, but they seem to still be brooding, and they seem to be sharing it (I don't really know about Linnets as we've only ever had one nest from them 14 years ago when I was a kid!). The male comes down and lands on the washing line, twittering to the female, then he flies in and minutes later she flies out. Neither of them have been bringing food so I am assuming they are still brooding, but me sitting in the garden a little this afternoon didn't put them off any rate!

Hi Zulu Merula had the same thing happen 3 nests before a egg was even laid but the 3rd nest turned out 4 young that was 4 years ago since then they have nested in the same bush each year I wonder if when this happens it is there first year of nesting.

Regards Snapper.

[Zulu Merula]

Hmm, it could possibly be for the female, as my male blackbird hasn't mated with the same one from last year (between them they produced 5 broods, 4 out of the first 4 and FIVE fledglings out of the 5th!). However the male blackbird is in at least his 3rd year.

Anyways since yesterday something even MORE strange has happened- I looked in the nest and the egg is GONE! I wonder if the female ate it, or carried it away somewhere? Now the nest is empty she could use that one to lay more eggs in but I don't think she's going to, because she's been looking in other bushes and sort of half heartedly gathering up nesting matieral, which she hasn't yet taken anywhere, as she's picked it up then discarded it.

Can anyone shed light on what's happened with the egg? As in, why it didn't hatch and where the heck it's disappeared, lol!!

[Ronald Zee]

Hi Laura

It could have been taken by a bigger bird, Crow or Magpie for instance.

[Zulu Merula]

Don't they usually make a big mess when they raid nests? I guess no one can know for sure what happened to it! At least wherever it went it was after she'd decided it wasn't going to hatch anyway, but THAT'S what I can't understand. Does anyone know why there was only one egg when there are usually 4, and why it didn't hatch? She sat on it so faithfully, so my only guess is that somehow it didn't get fertilised, which is strange. I've never known this to happen so I'm really confused!

[Ronald Zee]

Laura, I once saw a Crow taking an egg from a Coot's nest, it landed on the nest, took the egg and then flew off, took about 2 seconds to do it.

[Zulu Merula]

Perhaps it could have been that. It doesn't matter anyways as the egg wasn't going to hatch. It just didn't look like anything had been in there, the foliage wasn't disturbed or anything. Puzzling... hehe.