Is it too late to add a Nestbox to your garden? Well, perhaps in other parts of the UK it may be but here in my garden I don’t think so.
I have been looking for signs of the blackbirds collecting nesting material. They are easy to spot as they collect a lot in their beaks and do visit the edges of my pond for wet material to bind their nests. They are definitely showing signs of being territorial but there are quite a few that visit so they will just have to share my garden. I love to watch them early in the morning.
Last year we had blackbirds building a nest in the ivy of my pergola as you can see above. Unfortunately as it is in an area that we pass through and sit under it was eventually abandoned. However, it is probably the best place for me to site a Nestbox for them. Yesterday we removed the old nest and replaced it with the rather fine Nestbox shown in the first photo – an early Birthday present from my parents.
Last week I decided to trim back a lot of long stems of the ivy here so it would bush out and offer protection to any nesting birds here. So for the moment the area with the new Nestbox looks a little bare but I am confident it will provide good cover in future months. I am looking forward to the nesting season starting – it is fascinating to watch the change in activity of the visiting birds.
Finally, if you are following my diary you maybe wondering what is going on in my Nestbox that has a camera. I do have a story to tell here but I first need to introduce another new Nestbox.
The photos above were taken in my garden on March 23rd 2008.
I hope you’ll soon have black birds in your new nest box Shirl. You’ve got me curious about your other nest boxes, and looking forward to reading more about them all.
Hi Shirl, you are really a bird’s best friend, always thinking what would please your feathered companions. That is a fine nest box you put up for them. Hope they take advantage of it. I have put a link to your video cam box in my post today titled ‘Returns’. Hope that is okay.
Frances at Faire Garden
I hope those blackbirds know how lucky they are to have that new nestbox.
The wrens aren’t nesting here where they usually nest. I am hoping it is the weather holding them back not the neighborhood cats that patrol our garden. It is a little early here but I am getting anxious to see some nesting action. All I am getting here is singing and territorial fights.
Very posh nestbox! wish I was a blackbird… I’d be straight in there. Jane
Hi there Garden girl, Frances, Lisa and Jane 🙂
Garden girl – Yes, it would be great to see the blackbird Nestbox being used by blackbirds – but you never know what can happen with nesting birds! My updates are all complete now for the moment – hope you enjoy the stories behind it all 😀
Frances – Thank-you, I do try. It is a very fine Nestbox – I haven’t seen many blackbird boxes. I do hope they use it too. Yes, I am delighted that you wish to link to my camera Nestbox. I do hope it will get used 😀
Lisa – I wonder if they will! I believe wrens and robins may use it too. Yes, the cold spell here may knock back nesting times too. Yes perhaps it is just a little early here too – my garden is full of singing and fighting too 😀
Jane – Yes, it so is! I went to the only garden centre that I had ever seen this Nestbox in. There was only one left so I didn’t waste any time pondering about it. Yep, I’d be in there too. Once it stops with all these pesky flurries of snow I will put my video camera out to see if any birds take a little look about 😀
Fingers crossed Shirl, hopefully you will have a pair nest, their young are amazing, I don’t think I have ever come across a nest box like this for sale before, I’ll be keeping an eye out. Mike.
Hi again Mike, my fingers are crossed too 🙂
Yes, I agree that blackbird young are great to see. I usually get quite a few visiting my garden when they fledge. Last year my garden was a very noisy place for a few weeks with fledged starlings too. The starlings looked and acted like ducklings skidding along the surface of my tiny pond 😀
Ah… the blackbird Nestbox, it is a beauty! I had only seen it in one garden centre and I made a special trip hoping to get it – it was the last one. I have seen others for blackbirds that are more basic. They look bigger than the blue tit box and have no front at all – completely open.
I have just looked up the website for my box and they have quite a few interesting boxes there as well as mine 😀