Who's surprised?

~we always have a nest in a thick fir in the front garden~this morning whilst waiting for my son to bring the car along Mr Blackbird was giving me a very vocal send off~I was only there for a few minutes!

Same thing happened to me in mid-summer last year...
I was trimming my ceanothus by the dog run, and there was Mrs THRUSH ! Near to the house, and yet I hadn't noticed the birds building the nest. This was the first time thrushes had visited my garden....

I realised that I had exposed the nest to the all day sun, so I cut some branches off my conifer tree, and tied them carefully to the trimmed ceanothus, restoring the privacy of the thrushes. They didn't seem to mind that I'd altered the foliage, and went on to raise two healthy youngsters. :o)

I'm glad you noticed in time Wagger. Must have been a lovely surprise.
It's good they return each year isn't it Arlene.
Good thinking TT. You saved the day.

Conifers do seem popular, Arlene - wood pigeons try to nest in leylandii that hangs over the fence from next door. I try to discourage them every year, every year they defeat me, every year a squirrel takes the eggs - it's heartbreaking.
I have a thrush visit the garden, Terra but she gets a rough time from the blackbirds - she does stand her ground sometimes. I''d love her to nest here.
So was I, Toto - I would have felt terrible if she had abandoned the nest.

Good job you spotted Mrs Blackbird. Hopefully you will have the fun of seeing the youngsters running round the garden soon.

I can hear some small birds in the ivy right beside my back door. I dare not look to see what is nesting in there (or cut the ivy back)

What a nice surprise for you! I hope you can get some photos of the fledglings. :-)

I'll keep the bird table stocked up, Gee. They look so cute when almost adult size, bending their legs and fluttering their wing pretending to be babies.
Hope you seen them soon, Andrew,
I will try to get photos, Spritz. Trouble is I just can't get up early.

That depends on how early is early - we've had visits from the dreaded badgers again this week - 4 so far - they wreck the lawn each time. I don't think I could be up early enough to see them! Or, maybe it's late enough in their case?

I think that would be worth staying up for - shame about the lawn though - do they still dig for worms if you put food out for them?