[Maeve Drogheda]

We have had a family of black birds in the garden. The nest was in a senicio, (sunsshine bush) and was very visible. The male and female birds have been in and out over the past few weeks with not a care for us even when we were sitting on the bench beside the nest. Mother bird even let us look in to the nest very closly while she sat on an upper branch looking at us.

The eggs hatched and we have been watching the birds feeding and watching them grow bigger, and now they have left the nest, but how long to they fledge (if this is the right term), I have spent the past 5 days keeping the little dog out of the garden so that the birds can learn to fly, It is driving him nuts watching them through the patio door!

Does anyone know how long they will stay around the garden. They are out of the nest 4 days now. I can hear the parents calling to the chicks, but I can't see them this morning.

The second question is, will the nest be used again?

Any advice will be appreciated

[BrownMini]

I'm in the same 'boat' with a family of Robins - who have decided to nest in the
greenhouse. They are cute and lovely but I want the greenhouse back!!

Suggest you have a read of the article at

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/blackbird/nesting.aspx

It mentions that the female will have another go at a nest whilst the male does
the baby sitting - so your baby-sitting duties may not be over for a while yet and
'Spot' the dog might have his liberty limited a little while longer!

[Maeve Drogheda]

The birds left the area three days after my post, Bailey is now allowed back in the garden and now the birds have gone he has lost interest in the senecio.

I don't know if they will be back to lay another clutch of eggs. Can I take the old nest away, will they build a new one? As for your robbins, I would take the nest out of the greenhouse when ever you can so that you can reclaim it for your own use!!

By the way I have another dog who is blind and a little deaf so she could mooch around the garden when the fledgeling were around and the birds didn't mind at all even when she came really close to them.

[BrownMini]

I dont think that I'm allowed as when most 'cute and cuddly' wild birds
are nesting between March and August, they're protected under
the Wildlife Act of somewhere back in 1976.

Only if the nest/birds/wildlife is a threat to health/safety can this be by-passed.
Given that I've already said that they're robins, I doubt that I could claim
that me or the greenhouse is in any danger from them.

Still - wont be long now for the first batch to fledge.
The parents are buzzing in and out most all evening so there mus be a few mouths in there.
Anytime I dig some of the garden, they're over to have a grab of any stuff thats
turned up.
Usually 14 days between hatching and 'take-off' so should see some
blotchy-breasted robins flying around soon.