Denise Stabler
Active member
Our first blackbird fledgling was spotted in the garden a few days ago, so at least it has successfully made it out of the nest and into the world. It is pretty big and being fed exclusively by the male. The female seems completely uninterested in it and is busy feeding her own face and, I think, building a new nest.
We have no magpies around here but plenty of sparrowhawks and kestrels, the latter of which I saw trying to attack a mistle thrush nest - the thrushes successfully got rid of them.
We do have a couple of cats about but if they go near the birds I throw stones at them and they run home (they are the cissy type rather than dedicated killing machines). Other birds currently nesting in the garden include house sparrows (numerous), starlings (lots), song thrush, wren, blue tit and greenfinches.
We have no magpies around here but plenty of sparrowhawks and kestrels, the latter of which I saw trying to attack a mistle thrush nest - the thrushes successfully got rid of them.
We do have a couple of cats about but if they go near the birds I throw stones at them and they run home (they are the cissy type rather than dedicated killing machines). Other birds currently nesting in the garden include house sparrows (numerous), starlings (lots), song thrush, wren, blue tit and greenfinches.