Fledgling Nightmare.....

Why oh why are Blackbirds such a pain in the arse?

As soon as they started nesting in our open shed I knew we were in for a noisy old time of it when these chicks finally fledged.... we used an old fire guard to block the shed door to stop small people and the cat from investigating and knocking over the stack of wood that the parents had built their precarious nest on top of....

Yesterday evening the Blackbirds were making there usual racket to warn off a predator and I dashed outside to see what our cat had gotten herself into this time...

after the cat had dashed inside Mr P investigated the shed and we found that a blackbird fledgling was sat on the floor so we removed the fire guard and retreated to the kitchen window to watch .... low and behold the fledgling was ushered out and headed for the hedge.... we assumed that it was all done and dusted but no.... this morning we first of all found Louie's hunting on the kitchen floor.... it was a small (dead) sparrow... I think....
but the blackbirds were kicking up a stink out in the yard again and the dog was very interested in an area by the garage....

Low and behold another fledgling.....

So I have surrounded him with the fireguard and waited to see if the parents know where he is ...

Mum has been down and fed him so they know where he is but they have made no attempt to move him somewhere safer...
I even removed the guard so that they could usher him off to somewhere safer...

so I have given him a broken pot to hid under and I considered stuffing some hay in there so that he can hide away... they look so daft sat staring at you...

I even took a book outside and sat reading...while on guard... how daft am I! lol

Just popped out to open up the pen so that mum can get in and get baby out...
the cat is (I think) upstairs asleep along with Jamie who came home from school yesterday complaining of feeling ill....
plus Daniel had me up in the night too... so I didn't bother waking either this morning
Daniel eventually came downstairs at 8:20am and Jamie is still sound asleep...

Well the parents have returned while I have been typing and they have tempted the fledgling away.... he's hopped down towards the flat roof shed and now its up to them to protect their baby... Daniel came out and had a look to see the little bird and I explained all about camouflage and why the chick was hiding on things the same colour as he was...

nature is an amazing thing but sometimes you wonder how they can survive putting themselves at such risk...

I noticed dad feeding the first fledgling at the bottom of the garden... now the teaching will begin and they will soon be feeding themselves.... fingers crossed the many cats around here do not find them...

Now I have many thanks some belated and some more recent to give....
and I will today take photo's to show you the lovely gifts that I have received...
but just to say to Suzie over at itch2stitch thank you for the beginners guide to chicken keeping book that you so kindly sent and I love the felt button flower... It will be superb at keeping my place as I learn about breeds and keeping them happy and sound..

big hugs to you all
Alex
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