Zoology blackbird

When I walked past the nest this morning I could hear peeping noises coming from within - the chicks have hatched! I tried to put my camera over the lip of the nest so I could take a photo and count the chicks/eggs, but the bush was a little bit too dense, and who should arrive back right at that moment in a flurry of wings but the female! She landed on the outside of the bush where her nest was, so we retreated and left her to care for her chicks.

New BLABI nest!

Imagine my glee when I got a phone call from my friend a few days ago, telling me that one of her friends had discovered a blackbird nest in, of all things, a bike basket!

This evening I went along to have a look - and to drop off some nest recording cards and hopefully get some more people recording :). The pair have set up their nest in an abandoned bike's basket, and are really very tame (the female didnt seem bothered even though we were within touching distance of her and her newly-hatched chicks). So here's hoping the chicks fledge safely and that some more people get interested in recording these things..

And that I might be able to ring the chicks (I couldnt find a licensed ringer in time for the last brood).



Mrs Blackbird, not at all fussed about us being there.

Thanks to Sarah and Margot for finding and showing me the nest!

More nests...

The blackbird chicks have fledged and I have found another nest - this one in a far more public position.

Outside my department is a small square of green with a tree and a few bushes. There is a pair of blackbirds which have just finished building their nest there, in full view of any passers-by (if you know which bush to look at). Approaching the nest does not seem to disturb the female at all - she just sits tight - I guess she's used to people! The nest also has an astonishing amount of plastic in it (photos to follow).