Its for the birds.....UPDATE!!
Its for the birds.....UPDATE!!
Posted on 30 May, 2009 54 comments
The other day, at work I found a redwinged blackbird nest in a clumping birch sapling. The sapling is one that is for sale and is in the middle of three rows of young trees which are set out for people to view.
The bird had built her nest right at eye level (for me) but it is remarkably well camoflaged. If it hadn’t been for the mother bird flying off the nest and making a fuss when I walked by I doubt I would ever have known it was there. When I looked inside there were 4 little blue speckled eggs.
We decided to rope off the trees in that area with red tape and put up a sold sign so that hopefully, no one would disturb the nest by pulling at the trees. People still walk by but it is remarkable that very few notice the fuss that the mother bird makes when anyone is near. It goes to show just how unobservant people can be. LOL
Here are the eggs a few days later. The one on the right is cracked and ready to hatch…...sorry the pic is fuzzy….I can’t really see what I’m taking a picture of so sometimes the focus is a little out…...
This photo was taken yesterday on June 4th, 2009. Two babies are hatched so far. Tomorrow there will probably be three in the nest.
SAD NEWS fellow GoYers. When I checked the nest two days after my last update there were three hatched babies and one egg. Of course, I didn’t have my camera with me. However, when I checked the nest 4 days later it was only to find it almost empty and abandonded. No Mummy bird, no Daddy bird and no baby birds to be seen. Only the one lonely little egg that never hatched. I think perhaps that the nest was found by some predator or other. Perhaps a crow or magpie. Whichever it was the nest was cleaned out. So sad. Two days later I found a dead baby bird about 50 feet from the nest. Whether it was one from the doomed family or not I couldn’t tell. It is sad but I guess that is just nature taking it’s course. We did what we could to keep the babies safe but it just wasn’t enough. :o(
There are plenty of other nests around the garden centre but as far as I know, no others are actually built on product which is for sale.
Oi! You down there! What do you want?
Ooooo!! You have a camera. Make sure you get my best side!!
Right! Enough is enough…..go on! Push off! Flamin’ paparazzi
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Comments
bless thats so sweet, when a mother starts nesting its just has to be where it has to be!!
thats nice of you to put a sold sign up and arent they noisy, goodness at my old house we had several large trees and the noise from the parents was enough to drive you up the twist... but we had a dog then that was very nosey so quite understandable
x x x
30 May, 2009
Great, Gilli - if only more people were as sympathetic towards wildlife...
30 May, 2009
That's great, Gilli. Lovely little story and I hope all goes well with the eggs. :o)
30 May, 2009
Amazing pics!! Glad you discovered Mrs. BB's nest first!
30 May, 2009
Thats amazing how mummy and daddy Bb was not phased by loads of people passing by at such close quarters. Please keep us posted as to how the family progresses.
30 May, 2009
Lovely blog Gilli. So glad that you respected the little bird and that you bosses agreed with you.
30 May, 2009
I do find it amazing how the birds have become insensitive to human activity. In 2007 I had a robins nest in a hanging basket by my front door. With all our comings and goings we didn't get swooped once...even with all the pictures I took. LOL
30 May, 2009
Isn't that funny! Those birds are lucky you saw them before a tragedy! You would think a Blackbird would choose a less active spot. It's the Mockingbirds that build too close to people usually. They have trouble every Spring at my daughters univ. with them dive booming students walking by or waiting for the buses. The campus police even put up "Wanted" posters. It was funny! She showed me one, it said...
WANTED!
Bird, Mocking.
Known to hangout in small trees near the campus quad. If seen or confronted, do not approach. If attacked call campus security.
I got a good laugh out of that. She said if a bird does attack someone near a nest they rope off the area for a few weeks!
The students have pretty much learned not to bother them!
30 May, 2009
love it gilli, so glad you have roped off the trees for sale,, they should be ok now,, well done with all these pics they are fab,,
30 May, 2009
Wonderful photos, Gilli - well done. Seems like you're enjoying the job!
30 May, 2009
Brilliant story with a happpy ending , great pictures too!
30 May, 2009
let us know when the babbies hatch love your blog.
30 May, 2009
Is there no daddy redwing there...he usually sits out there all black with red under his wing and trys to get everyone to notice him and yells a lot...is this what the female looks like?
30 May, 2009
lovely story Gilli. Every year sparrows nest in some brickwork at my local shop. I doubt that many people notice it. Although we have no birds nesting this year we know that there is a pair of blackbirds with young in our neighbours garden because of the reaction of the bird parents when a magpie comes near. They often bring the young into the garden when fledged.
31 May, 2009
Lovely blog Gilli with great photos nice they ll have friends such as you to keep an eye on them.
Looks like they will be busy soon but guess the garden centre will have a ready made stock of food for them.
31 May, 2009
Brill blog and photos so pleased she is safe.
31 May, 2009
Yes, amazing how birds adapt, I went out to refill the hummingbird feeder this morning and I had one right it my face saying, "Hurry up every chance you get!"
Hope my trees get big enough soon to support some nesting birds.
31 May, 2009
I have finally found all my feeders and have got them all out this morning...they are being checked out.. first visitor was a big black crow of course, then I saw a Goldfinch at the backgarden feeders..the front is being fought about by some wrens...and a mama goldfinch checked the frontgraden feeders out really well before flying in her nest which is inside a vent on my house...she got it this year...the swallows usually have it..nice to have a goldfinch nesting there this year..swallows are not happy I am sure...
31 May, 2009
Those shots are great! If that little bird poked it's head out at me, I probably would've ran...hehe. I've been attacked so many times for being nosy, if I were a cat, I'd be dead by now.
1 Jun, 2009
Great blog, nice your bosses let the trees be cordoned off! Hope all 4 eggs hatch nicely?
1 Jun, 2009
Btw Mr freeze, does that mean you've been attacked 9 times? Lol!! If so, you probably deserved it, hehe!
1 Jun, 2009
Hehe! 9 times and then some. And yes, I was asking for it every time...hehe.
2 Jun, 2009
Thank you all for your lovely comments. I haven't been able to get on GoY much lately with being so busy.
The eggs were beginning to crack on Sunday when I checked. I haven't looked since as I don't want to bother them too much. I will check again tomorrow and expect to see little beaks open wide waiting for food.
The daddy Redwing is around Cat but has a few other wives to look after. There is a large pond at the garden centre and the Redwings are nesting in the bullrushes around the pond. I have counted 3 males and about 7 or 8 females. Redwings are polygamous (spelling??) so the males are kept busy protecting all the nests. This female chose to nest a small distance from the pond and I think the male is not as "attentive" to her as he is to all the other "wives".
2 Jun, 2009
Some women prefer that lifestyle. ;-)
3 Jun, 2009
Lovely blog, Gilli, and such lovely photos. That little bird peeking out is gorgeous.
3 Jun, 2009
Thanks Gee. I haven't been to take any more photos yet. I don't want to disturb her anymore than she is already with people wandering around.
4 Jun, 2009
Gilli, I'm amazed that the male has several "wives" how funny!!! One way for nature to be successful I suppose! Mind you, human males are supposed to be declining and in many millennia to come, they won't be around, eeeeek! (We'll prob. have some "natural" disaster by then anyway, the way we're polluting the earth! (bit heavy, sorry! Lol!!)
4 Jun, 2009
great photos gilli, love this blog
4 Jun, 2009
Lazy male...he needs to get on it...here you are doing HIS job..I need to take a walk down to the marshes here...the redwings usually are down there...they did to come up here just for a visit for a little while it was not usual..none so far this year...have not heard their song at all...
4 Jun, 2009
Great blog Gilli, we see these lovely little RWB always around the lake on the golf course as well. they get very excited when we try & retrieve "lost' golf balls. I learned some facts in this blog...........typical male LOL!!!
5 Jun, 2009
LOL! Lovely captions for gr8 pics, Gilli! I'll be laughing all day now. :-)
5 Jun, 2009
How they doing, Gilli?
5 Jun, 2009
Thanks CN, Gardendaz, Doon and David.
Llew....they are doing well.....see the latest in my update above...... :o)
6 Jun, 2009
Awwwww, isn't that fabulous. :o)
Great stuff, Gilli.
I've just been watching a bird feeding another bird from half a loaf of bread I put out, but didn't grab my camera in time, lol.
6 Jun, 2009
I'm so glad that they are doing well, considering where they are. :-)
7 Jun, 2009
awww such sweet little new life they are..glad they are in a safe well guarded spot..the mum & dad were not all that smart with their choice but they got lucky..I think..with out Gilli on the job they could have been in trouble.
7 Jun, 2009
Another baby in the nest today....that makes three!!
7 Jun, 2009
Very sweet!
7 Jun, 2009
yay! its going to be fun watching them feather..
7 Jun, 2009
Do you think one egg got kicked out?
7 Jun, 2009
Not sure Cat. I couldn't get a clear view. Maybe take another pic tomorrow.
7 Jun, 2009
Awww, cute...great picture!
9 Jun, 2009
Princess Gilli - Shame on you for disturbing these little creatures with your camera to take pictures of the ugly tree stealers. I wouldn't dream of taking such close up photos - I'm not surprised you were told to push off! Typical - this poor male bird has been minding his own business and all these human females are now pecking on his case!
14 Jun, 2009
Pppppfffffttttthhhhhttttt!! GF. Hee hee hee
15 Jun, 2009
You obviously haven't seen my long distance shot of baby bird yet! I posted it immediateIy after making the above comment. I liked the last photo best in this blog - how did you know momma was going to pop out at this moment and get 3 photos?
15 Jun, 2009
That, my dear GF, is a baby starling, not the Momma. I knew he was going to look out because he spent most of the day popping his head in and out of the hole.
He has now fledged and the Momma nd Pappa have started family number 2.
15 Jun, 2009
UPDATE ON THE BABY BIRDS....PLEASE SEE BLOG ABOVE FOR THE LATEST.
15 Jun, 2009
I think it was the young starling that did it - after all he kept popping in and out all day and is not a momma with maternal instincts and he has a mischievious glint in his evil eye doesn't he!
15 Jun, 2009
Oh that is too bad Gilli...guess mama and papa will do a better job of finding a home next time...darn...
15 Jun, 2009
So sorry about the little birds, Gilli.
15 Jun, 2009
Awwww, that's such a shame, Gilli.
I feel quite sad about it. :o(
15 Jun, 2009
That is so sad after all the effort made to keep them safe. Hope Mum & Dad will have better luck next time.
16 Jun, 2009
I was quite shocked to see the little empty nest too. Poor things. But, hopefully the Mum and Dad will raise another brood.
18 Jun, 2009
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Hi Gilli
its amazing how they get them built without anyone noticing, birds are very adaptable
30 May, 2009