Breaking news... the chicks have left the nest. (Picture of chicks a day before they leave the nest courtesy of http://www.shire.org.uk/news/200606/nest.jpg).
Yesterday the male and female blackbirds were feeding the chicks in the nest. I was replanting our herb garden, and saw them collecting worms from the garden and repeatedly visiting the nest to the accompaniment of noisy chirping.
This morning, I hear a racket coming from the garden, it sounds like blackbirds, so I go out to see what is happening. There is the mother blackbird hovering over one chick on the grass, the male is on the wall letting out a stream of alarm calls, and there is a cat in the flower bed. I rush to the cat, as a small, out-of-control bundle whizzes past my face and lands on the sloping roof of the garage. I didn't have time to see where it went, as I was rushing the cat, who obliged by shooting off into next door's garden.
I turn to look for the chick who must have slid down the hot glazed-tiled roof, but cannot find him. So I settle myself down unobtrusively in the garden and sit and wait. The parents are still in a state of panic, hopping around, the male clattering on, the female making that soft low call to locate the chicks. I listen out hard for the answering chirp of the chicks, but cannot hear anything.
I had not been able to see if the cat had already got a chick by the time I chased it off, and I am worried about the chick that had made a crash landing on the garage. I go round to the other side of the garage to see if it had gone all the way over and landed on the drive, and also to see if there was any evidence of the cat having taken a bird. Thankfully, I find nothing, and... by the time I get back into the garden, two little chicks are bobbing around on the lawn!!
I got a good look at them... they are at about the same stage of development as last year's chicks were after two weeks of leaving the nest (for that read two heart wrenching weeks of daily care and cat rushing from me - my husband still likes to remind me how I raided the compost heap daily to put out worms in a dish of soil to make it easier for the lone parent to feed the chicks!). They have all their body feathers, but only the merest stub of a tail, they can flap and get themselves off the ground, but only to perch, they cannot really fly. They are very cute, and I am so pleased to have seen them today.
2 comments:
I expect they are last years chicks, or one of them, with partner do you think? I am so pleased that they are all doing well!
Thank you for posting this and excellant picture. It's always amazing just how fast they grow and how early birds start breeding although I think Blackbirds can have two clutches each year. Did you come across that in your research into blackbirds? Keep us posted on their progress if you see them again.
Good Afternoon. I would like to introduce myself; I am Mr. T Bird, the president of the Caged Minutes fan club. With all due respect I would like to enquire when we, your devoted fans, can expect to view the latest offering from your art class as we have been eagerly awaiting its' arrival on your blog. Warmest regards Mr. Bird.
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