Friday 15th, well...it's all happening today with the Robins! This morning, all 6...yes we can confirm that there are 6 Robin chicks, were still in the nest. How they could all stay in without any falling out is beyond me! The nest is quite small, too small for 6 medium chicks and wedged up against the fence, amongst the ivy. By this afternoon, Melanie had reported that they had flown the nest. Both adult Robins were on hand to oversee the event and tempted the chicks out with beaks full of live mealworms.
This evening I managed to see one of the newly fledged Robins as it sat in the conifers waiting for food. Feeding the adults, I could see that they were flying to all areas of the garden and beyond to pass on the mealworms. But best of all, during a rain-free window, the two adults were possibly inspecting another site for a nest. But the manner in which they did this was something I've never seen before. Both were hovering...yes hovering in a manner similar to Humming Birds, very rapid wing-beats and both birds side by side, inspecting the ivy against the fence together. To see two adult Robins hovering side by side, three foot from the ground and in almost perfect synchronization is truly amazing! Unfortunately I have no photos of this fascinating happening.
The Blackbirds are still resident in the garden. Family 'Set-B' (male, female and two fledglings)with their second brood. Also around is an older female fledgling from the first brood. Yesterday I did see what I think is the male from the first brood eating berries in the front garden.
House Sparrow fledglings are out and about now in the garden. Some of the adults are collecting live mealworms from us and seem to be quicker at grabbing the worms than the Robins, which get bullied out! This is a surprise to me as I had always assumed that Robins can be very aggressive.
Another bird that is a very regular visitor to the garden are Jackdaws. There seems to be a group of 4 adults that attend the bird table where there is always a selection of dry food...weather permitting! An intelligent bird, sleek and very tidy-looking and can be skittish, though immune to the dive-bombing of the male Blackbird! Like other Corvids, Jackdaws mate for life and both adults take great care in rearing their offspring. Last year during late May and June/July, we had a couple of Jackdaw fledglings accompanying the adults to the bird table.
This evening I managed to see one of the newly fledged Robins as it sat in the conifers waiting for food. Feeding the adults, I could see that they were flying to all areas of the garden and beyond to pass on the mealworms. But best of all, during a rain-free window, the two adults were possibly inspecting another site for a nest. But the manner in which they did this was something I've never seen before. Both were hovering...yes hovering in a manner similar to Humming Birds, very rapid wing-beats and both birds side by side, inspecting the ivy against the fence together. To see two adult Robins hovering side by side, three foot from the ground and in almost perfect synchronization is truly amazing! Unfortunately I have no photos of this fascinating happening.
The Blackbirds are still resident in the garden. Family 'Set-B' (male, female and two fledglings)with their second brood. Also around is an older female fledgling from the first brood. Yesterday I did see what I think is the male from the first brood eating berries in the front garden.
House Sparrow fledglings are out and about now in the garden. Some of the adults are collecting live mealworms from us and seem to be quicker at grabbing the worms than the Robins, which get bullied out! This is a surprise to me as I had always assumed that Robins can be very aggressive.
Another bird that is a very regular visitor to the garden are Jackdaws. There seems to be a group of 4 adults that attend the bird table where there is always a selection of dry food...weather permitting! An intelligent bird, sleek and very tidy-looking and can be skittish, though immune to the dive-bombing of the male Blackbird! Like other Corvids, Jackdaws mate for life and both adults take great care in rearing their offspring. Last year during late May and June/July, we had a couple of Jackdaw fledglings accompanying the adults to the bird table.
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