[polly nator]

Pair of blackbirds are very busy building a nest in the small Christmas tree in a pot which is outside on my small patio. Now - do you think I'll need to sacrifice the tre - would even careful watering scare them off? Also I am about to get a hexagonal greenhouse thing assembled with a wooden base very close to where they are - again - is this likely to frighten them off?
 I'm very very keen to encourage the blackbirds because I live on a new development - acres of red brick, most "gardens" are paved and there is little in the way of plant life except for mine in which I have built deep raise dbeds for veg, fruit, flowers.
 So- will I get my greenhouse made AND keep the birds happy?

[Tinbasher]

Pair of blackbirds are very busy building a nest in the small Christmas tree in a pot which is outside on my small patio. Now - do you think I'll need to sacrifice the tre - would even careful watering scare them off? Also I am about to get a hexagonal greenhouse thing assembled with a wooden base very close to where they are - again - is this likely to frighten them off?
 I'm very very keen to encourage the blackbirds because I live on a new development - acres of red brick, most "gardens" are paved and there is little in the way of plant life except for mine in which I have built deep raise dbeds for veg, fruit, flowers.
 So- will I get my greenhouse made AND keep the birds happy?

They should be ok.  I've had blackbirds nesting in either my garden (few years ago) or the neighbour's garden when they must have moved there cos they prefered it more.  The last three years they built within a quite tangled and uncared for climbing rose, or rather between the rose and a window ledge that it covered.  Last spring and early summer I had cock blackbird following me (at a respectful distance) along the garden path when I was planting and as I turned up worms from the soil, I threw a couple for him on the path which he snatched up immediately.  He didn't fly back to the nest with one worm either but waited for a couple more till his beak was stuffed full of them - and then came straight back.  I used to do my best chirruping noise whilst he was there waiting and he used to cock his head to one side and listen.  After a few occasions such as this, a chirruping from me used to bring him straight out of wherever he stationed himself and onto the path to wait for worms and grubs.  I could hear the chicks cheeping incessantly and the older they got (and so more demanding), the bolder daddy blackbird seemed to become.  Eventually he came to just out of arms reach and used to wait there patiently.

Last winter the old lady next door had her son round one weekend to do some diy and tidying for her and if he didn't go in the garden and hack away at the rose - too much in my view though it's growing again.  But he cut away all the tangled growth and exposed the window ledge and removed the old nest and I thought - 'that's it now, they won't come back, the position is now too exposed (cats and all that)'

About 3 weeks ago, I started seeing cock blackbird again.  I've seen him early morning stood on what is to be the brassica patch this year, listening carefully for worms in the wet soil.  I haven't been out to have chats and worm offerings with him yet.  But I wondered where him and the missus are stationed cos the old site on the window ledge next door hasn't been rebuilt - it's definitely too exposed.  I stacked some timbers up against the boundary wall at the house end of my garden this winter, including a couple of old roof purlings that I had earmarked as possible raised bed edgings for the allotment.  I was pottering about last weekend (well actually sowing a row of peas and tying in some broad beans) and suddenly I noticed the nest on top of these two purlings, neatly built against the wall with the base resting on the timbers.  It's a good spot and impregnable to cats.  Guess I cant use the timbers on the plot after all as I daren't remove them now.  I saw Mummy blackbird sitting on the nest t'other day or rather I can just see her beak peeping out.  Daddy blackbird is out and about every day now, though isn't too bold yet - they'll still be eggs yet rather than chicks.

Yes they are quite tame as far as wild birds go and don't seem to mind man too much as long as you don't try to interfere.  They don't have anything on robins though.  My mate has noticed a robin's nest built in an old nut-and-bolt box on a shelf in his shed, really low down and right near the doorway.  He's in and out of there several times a day and is continually sawing firewood on a circular saw - vast screeching noise of the blade through the wood - you know how loud power saws are.  The robins don't seem to mind he says and mummy robin sits there whilst he's sawing away.  I went up on wednesday night with some wood for him and three of us were barrowing these logs to the shed.  Suddenly mummy robin flew off the nest and out the door.  I didn't see her but my mate did and pointed it out.  A quick look into the nest confirmed 5 eggs were in it.  He says she (and he, cos he's seen cock robin on egg-warming duty as well) has obviously got used to him, but three of us in the shed must have been a bit much.  I wondered what the effect of a noisy saw will have on little chicks when the eggs hatch, but as my mate pointed out:  the parents must know what they're doing and know it's a noisy place and also the chicks are there now, growing inside the eggs and so are being conditioned from the embryo stage to the sound of a circular saw!  I can't decide if this is funny or cruel, but they must know what they're doing as he says, so who are we to interfere.

[Ruby Red]

If it was me Id rather have the blackbirds than the alternative. As long as you dont make sudden movements at the start and try not to be nosy looking at them or the nest Im sure shell get used to you. She must have known you were there in the first place. Get some live mealworms and feed them to the parents. When the babies come it takes a lot of pressure off the parents to know theres a supply of soft food for the babies.

[polly nator]

Lovely stories and good advice. Thanks both of you!

[Big Jen]

I had a broken window in my grrenhouse last year, just a corner of glass missing and Robin used it as a door and used to come in and sit on the staging watching what I was doing even scratching around in old seed trays and plant pots looking for grubs etc!  If I am digging he follows me round picking up worms inches from my hands. He sometimes watches me in the house through the kitchen window as though he is asking me to come out and dig worms!. Just have to shout Robby now and he appears.
BJ

[Tinbasher]

I had a broken window in my grrenhouse last year, just a corner of glass missing and Robin used it as a door and used to come in and sit on the staging watching what I was doing even scratching around in old seed trays and plant pots looking for grubs etc!  If I am digging he follows me round picking up worms inches from my hands. He sometimes watches me in the house through the kitchen window as though he is asking me to come out and dig worms!. Just have to shout Robby now and he appears.
BJ

Brilliant.  I want a robin now.  I'm gonna do more for the birds.  I keep thinking of it, probably on an idle night in winter, but then forget or never get round to it.  Nesting boxes will have to go up and maybe a safe ledge or two all high up on walls or in corners.  Probably wait till the blackbirds have raised a brood and left and hope for next year or a late arrival.  I have heard in the last few years that some songbirds have gone for 2 broods in a year recently due to our milder weather and warm autumns.  

Where would you get mealie grubs from?  I was thinking of a couple of small tubs of fishing maggots to supplement the worms this year. Caterpillars too, not that I really want them around but they're inevitable at some stage usually.

[Ruby Red]

Any pet shop will sell the meal worms. Make sure they are the live ones though. I bought some dried ones and the birds werent very interested. Any old bits of cheese are received very well especially if its grated. A few raisins. I love seeing them all come in the garden knowing they will be looked after.

[Big Jen]

I am very lucky because I live in the country on the edge of a moor and get a lot of wildlife/birds as regular visitors. I started feeding just sunflower seeds a good few years ago, not in the shells - the peeled ones . They are expensive but go a long way. I had spotted a pair of goldfinches and was told they love sunflower seeds. I now have several pairs of regular visitors and they bring their babies with them later in the year- fantastic. I have a wishing well quite close to the house and hang the feeders on there. I have tried many times to get photos but my camera is not good enough and their beautiful markings just dont show up. If I can get a good photo I will put it on.
We had a pair of pheasants on the lawn this morning but my Jack Russel chased them off , I let her out before I realised they were there. Hope they come back.
BJ

[Stripey_cat]

If you're quiet they'll get used to you - we had one in my parent's garden that'd take slugs off the end of a trowel (it was never quite hand-tame, though, unlike the robin).  They are quite useful once they're like this.  If you are digging up pests, they'll follow along and eat them as you work.

[charley1980]

I get quite a lot of birds in my garden as I live quite near to some woods. Get a LOT of wood pigeons, also starlings, black birds, the odd sparrow and a Robin(I like to think it's the same one!). I'm planning on getting a bird table this year to encourage more in a way of keeping down the slugs too hopefully!!  Also get the odd squirrel though so need to make sure those greedy little monkeys don't steal everything I put out!!

Years ago I used to work in a kitchen in a smal supermarket and there was a Robin who used to come in through the warehouse doors and sit by the back door of the kitchen chirping away until we came to give it some scraps! He came back for years until they knocked the supermarket down to build a stupid superstore in its place! Don't know what happened to poor Robin without our little treats!! :cry:

[Big Jen]

Hi- Squirels are a big problem in my garden. Every bird feeder that I buy they manage to destroy it within a couple of weeks, even squirel proof ones!! Has anyone any ideas on how to stop them biting the sides out of my feeders?
BJ

[Tinbasher]

They should be ok.  I've had blackbirds nesting in either my garden (few years ago) or the neighbour's garden when they must have moved there cos they prefered it more.

Now 4 chicks in the nest, still pink and blind and with both parents now flitting back and forth with food.  They still fly off if I go in the garden but am expecting them to get bolder (cheekier) as the chicks get bigger and more demanding.

[Anne A]

Blackbirds are fine with most types of disturbances, give them an 'escape'route and they are fine,
We have a terrible problem with Wrens, no really the blo**y male is a pain, if we have the back door open and he wants to show a female any of the nests he builds each year in our hanging baskets the noise is beyond belief, you cannot have a conversation whilst the wren is sitting on the fence by the backdoor screaming the wren equivalent of "shut that door now" we had an American friend over who was totally amazed to be shown the tiny bird that woke him from his jet lagged sleep!
of course we now have the tattiest hanging baskets as we cannot change them, as they return every year, but we are good landlords and put fresh Moss and straw in to keep them warm.

[Jill]

Hi,
    Im totally new to this site but have had an allotment for 5 yrs and love it.Today I went into the greenhouse and there on the bench in plain view was a nest with three fully feathered baby robins in and some eggs.I was totally amazed that it wasnt hidden or obscured.We came straight out  and will stay away until theyve flown.Thats what i love about our allotment,just when the weeds are starting to get to me i discover a surprise and it lifts me for the rest of the day,
Jill

[Big Jen]

Hi
Robins nest in the daftest of places :!:  We have one sitting on eggs in the guttering outside my horses stable. Its like an over flow guttering that only takes water if its torrential so I am praying we dont get any serious rain. Last year one nested in the top pot of a pile of plantpots and I had to buy some new ones so I didnt disturb her! Previously I had one nest in an old trainer in a pile of rubbbish waiting to be burned in the shed.
BJ