Cockerel has injured a hen

[Luvachicken]

I'm pretty certain that by April the birds in my boxes have made or at least started their nests by now.

This year though, all I have in one of them is a tiny bit of moss, and that was from one warm day in March, nothing has happened since.

You can't blame them as it has been soooo cold but has anyone else got their birds making nests yet ?

 

I'm lucky enough to have a colour camera in one nest box - a great tit house, and a black and white camera on another - a blue tit house.

I love spying on them and this will be the first year for the colour one as I had it for Christmas

Edited June 11, 2013 by Guest

[Ain't Nobody Here]

We have a pair of bluetits hanging around our nestbox. Not peeked inside yet though. They managed a brood successfully last year, so fingers crossed .

[sage]

I was watching a couple of blackies in the garden yesterday collecting big bits of dried grass for nesting.

 

Sage

[Blackrocksrock]

Mother blackie sitting on 3 eggs in the shed = they use that for one clutch at least once a year.

[redhotchick]

I was watching a couple of blackies in the garden yesterday collecting big bits of dried grass for nesting.

Sage

Same here, my "lawn" is a little overgrown(!) and I enjoyed watching a female blackbird tugging chunks of dry grass out one morning last week

 

Mother blackie sitting on 3 eggs in the shed = they use that for one clutch at least once a year.

That sounds lovely. I get starlings, they freak me out a bit.

[Chucky Mama]

We have blue tits in our nesting box

[Luvachicken]

I just spied on the great tits earlier and she is busy adding to her nest with lots of moss

[newcountrygirl]

Our swifts have just arrived. Also the rooks are nesting. Oh yes - also there is a swan who has made a huge nest just down our road and she has been sitting on it for a week already.

[Princess Leia]

We have wood pigeons in our tall tree. I think they have taken over a nest that some collared doves have used for a few years. Beakfuls of grass and sticks have been seen going in - I think they are building an extension.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Blue Tits in two boxes, no eggs laid yet.

Blackbird in the hedge has babies and there is a Chaffinch sitting in an ex Christmas tree next to the coal bunker. She doesn't seem to mind our daily noisy rummagings about there.

Sparrows/Great Tits and a Nuthatch have been arguing about one nest box and I fear nothing will end up there. We have a Sparrow terrace without a camera, unfortunately, and I noticed yesterday that there is a lot of mud plastered round one hole so I guess the Nuthatch is in there.

Hubby has put a camera up in the eaves over where the Swallows nested last year so fingers crossed.

The piece de résistance has to be the Red Kites in a pine at the bottom of the garden. We have a scope on them sitting and the first hatch is due 16th May.

So exciting

[Snowy]

We have a Dunnock on a nest in the ivy. I found the nest with 4 tiny turquoise eggs in it by accident when I was cutting back the ivy all over our fence. I put the nest back and covered it up again as best I could but thought I'd destroyed any chances of mother returning. But she is back and sitting tight - so relieved!

[Olly]

gosh I'm jealous - red kites!

 

On a more mundane level - I have two nestboxes, one is definitely occupied by a bluetit and I can't work out (haven't been at home for long enough recently) if the other one is also being used. Both nestboxes came to me with bumblebee colonies in, from people who didn't want bumbles in their garden (how strange! ).

 

I love having nesting birds in the garden, it's not just that they are lovely to see, but it's a real affirmation for me that my garden is providing support for all sorts of species, and not just flowers and plants for humans.

[Blackrocksrock]

3 babies in the blackbird nest growing daily - it has been so cold I am glad she is in the shed - usually the first nest is in there and the next ones in the garden in various places.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Just now found in my driveway a tiny dead baby bird, fully formed with beak and feathers and with a minute broken eggshell attached .

[Luvachicken]

Just now found in my driveway a tiny dead baby bird, fully formed with beak and feathers and with a minute broken eggshell attached .

 

Awww that's sad.

 

On a happier note, although slightly odd, the box that was occupied by a great tit has now been taken over by a blue tit, even though the great tit started the nest in the first place.

Can't wait to see some eggs.

[chickencam]

My moggie Ziggy is in trouble for catching a Blue tit yesterday, however the way that she caught it was impressive, she did a 5ft vertical take off up one of our small apple trees and caught the bird sitting there in her mouth all in one fluid move. She is a small cat who looks agile but she is normally quite clumsy.

 

I have a nasty feeling that it was one of the nesting birds from next door's box.

 

On a happier note we have a lovely tame robin at the allotment who has been collecting worms and grubs as we have been raking seed beds, the flying off to its nest before coming back time after time.

[newcountrygirl]

We had a dunnocks nest last year but so far not this time. I spotted a duck nesting on a ledge on one of our fishing lakes today. Still havent heard the cuckoo yet this year though

[Lavenders_Blue]

I heard a cuckoo a couple of days ago! I did a little dance of excitement

[Luvachicken]

I just spied in the colour box that the blue tit has taken over and I'm pretty certain I can see a little egg.

Unfortunately, I can't see so well in the black and white box so have no idea if there are any eggs in there.

[Luvachicken]

Have just spied in our other camera box - black and white - and there are four eggs in it

[Olly]

Today I saw activity at the nesting box, and it's not a bluetit but a Great Tit - Mr & Mrs GT have been in and out all day with bits of worm, it's right next to the veg patch which I'm desperately trying to get in some sort of order, but they didn't seem to be bothered by me digging in there.

[Daphne]

Last weekend a young wagtail flew straight at me and sat on my knee for about 20 seconds Me and OH just sat there, amazed, not speaking or moving (obviously) He/she was so slender and still had a bit of filling out to do!

 

Apart from that we seem to have countless loud sparrows, older ones and youngsters as you can still see fluff. I haven't yet managed to spot a nest. This is the first time in many years that we don't have a cat, so its quite a novelty for me to enjoy the birds without the worry

[Luvachicken]

These are the eggs in my colour nest box.

[Luvachicken]

I thought it seemed quiet in the garden today and didn't notice the blue tits in the back garden when I woke up the chickens.

I checked from the black and white camera only to see a huge fly wandering around in the box. All of the chicks have died. I couldn't tell how many there were because it's not such a good picture as the colour one.

 

I haven't seen many butterflies so have assumed there aren't enough caterpillars around to feed the young.

I'll have to hope the colour box survives - they haven't hatched yet.

[Olly]

Oh, what a shame. I haven't seen much activity today from mine but they seemed to be finding plenty of food last week.