Day 13

A Squash and a Squeeze:

Only a few days left until they enter the big wide world. They should be leaving the nest later this week.

Day 11

This is the best I could manage today...

They sink low into the nest now when they see me peeping:

Day 9

The three nestlings are doing well - and are now starting to look a little like blackbirds...

Day 7

This is around the half-way stage. I guess they'll fledge sometime between Wednesday and Friday next week.

Day 6

A quick look in the nest this afternoon - and the three nestlings now have their eyes open.

Day 4

All is well in the blackbird's nest. The three nestlings are four days old and seem to be doing well.

Day 2

One egg remains unhatched in the nest this afternoon.



(A bit blurred today! I'm snapping blind - unable to get my eye to the camera to focus it!)

Hatching begins!

The eggs in the blackbird's nest have started to hatch today. So far three of the four have hatched.

Hope to get a picture every couple of days - don't want to disturb Marge and Parge too much!

Blackbird's Nest

We might not have anything in the nest box this year - but we do have a nest in the garden... and four little blue speckled eggs - a pair of blackbirds are nesting in the rambling rose.

The female built the nest very quickly last week - and this week I had a quick look once I knew she was away from the nest and found four eggs. I don't know when they were laid. Mum and Dad are both still around.

I will try and get better pictures soon - for me it's a case of shove the camera in the bush and hope for the best. Birdman might get a better shot.

The four eggs
More central, but blurred!

And the bush. I probably don't need to point out where the entrance is, but if so, it's the gap in middle of the green bush - just off-centre in the pic.

It's not in the best place, I have to say. But fingers crossed the nest is successful.

We have masses of extremely noisy fledgling starlings around at the moment. Hopefully none of them (or their parents) will find the nest.

Bathtime!

The garden was rather quiet on Christmas day - which was a shame, because watching the birds is infinitely more interesting than watching a Scalextric...

So, just a few shots from Christmas day...

Black-headed Gull on the frosty lawn in the morning

And a Blackbird on the birdbath in the afternoon






I want more -8°C temperatures!

(taken yesterday)

Song Thrush



Robin




Blue Tit

A Blackbird catching the splashes from the birdbath

Blackbirds

We have three regular male Blackbirds visiting us at the moment. All three are coming to the top of the back steps looking for any food I put out for them. They seem to prefer raisins over mealworms at the moment. As they are territorial birds, they don't tolerate each other at all.

Next stage will be with the door open so I'm not taking photos through glass!

Scruff, my favourite.