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Springwatch with Hellsbells

Just had to get rid of a dead wood pigeon youngun. It must have either fledged too soon or been kicked out or fell out it's nest.
Noticed it this morning when going to the bin. Left it and it had been walking around the garden, then seemed to be unable to stand without toppling over. Couple of adult wood pigeons had been in the garden and presumed were it's parents, but they didn't seem bothered about it.
 

Thought our birds had fledged as they eerily quiet yesterday but just been out, saw the parent go in and got a dawn chorus.
Swindon On Tour said:
Feeding on the bird nuts. In decent condition.
Mrs (no) captured yesterday Morning.


Ted doesn’t like his visitor.

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We keep getting a fox in the front garden digging up a pot plant. They trigger the doorbell camera so we see it the next morning. The night before last they dug a perfect hole in one of the planters and left what looked like chicken in it. Not sure what they’re up to
 
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Hyltonian said:
Thought our birds had fledged as they eerily quiet yesterday but just been out, saw the parent go in and got a dawn chorus.

We keep getting a fox in the front garden digging up a pot plant. They trigger the doorbell camera so we see it the next morning. The night before last they dug a perfect hole in one of the planters and left what looked like chicken in it. Not sure what they’re up to
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Shot 3 Rats with tails last weekend.
All were taken by the fox without doubt to feed the cubs.
 
Update :

We have six chicks now.

I was in an all day meeting yesterday and for some reason the camera’s not saved anything from yesterday so I assumed two had flown. They are getting big and I reckon the might go today and tomorrow.

However, I’ve just spent the past five minutes watching Mildred try to carry the body of chick 7 out of the nest, struggling, and start to pull it to bits to get it through the hole.

Nature eh?

I’ll post some (hopefully not gruesome) vids soon.
 
Update: Thursday

This is the gruesome bit - Mildred trying to take the body out of the nest:

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Friday:
Starting to test out their wings

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Caught Mildred leaving the box

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And then this morning, Saturday, looks like they might fly today or at the very least this weekend sometime:

 
So this happened this morning!

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Then ten mins later…… (with added commentary from my five year old)

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And then an hour later:



Sadly, we lost one of the chicks this morning, but five of them flew the nest, and out of nine eggs, I think that’s a decent ratio.
 
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HellsBells said:
So this happened this morning!

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Then ten mins later…… (with added commentary from my five year old)

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And then an hour later:



Sadly, we lost one of the chicks this morning, but five of them flew the nest, and out of nine eggs, I think that’s a decent ratio.
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Not bad return that and sadly a few never make it.
Now the time to look out for Magpies, Crows and Sparrow Hawks.

The boxes I have put up in the garden and out on the village road appear to be taken. Putting loads of suet pellets out at present and having loads of different types of birds feeding young.
The Starlings are out in force, next week expecting so many fledglings to have left the nest.

Loving the updates 👍
 
Swindon On Tour said:
Not bad return that and sadly a few never make it.
Now the time to look out for Magpies, Crows and Sparrow Hawks.

The boxes I have put up in the garden and out on the village road appear to be taken. Putting loads of suet pellets out at present and having loads of different types of birds feeding young.
The Starlings are out in force, next week expecting so many fledglings to have left the nest.

Loving the updates 👍
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There were a couple of magpies hanging around as they were coming out, and I did my best to chase them.

I think that’s the end of my updates, now they’ve gone. My bird box camera has just been showing Mildred coming back to the nest and looking forlornly at her two dead chicks that are still there. 😢

I think I’m not supposed to clean the box out until September for some reason. I might Google it.


I’ll keep an eye on anything else that decides to visit the box in the meantime!
 
HellsBells said:
There were a couple of magpies hanging around as they were coming out, and I did my best to chase them.

I think that’s the end of my updates, now they’ve gone. My bird box camera has just been showing Mildred coming back to the nest and looking forlornly at her two dead chicks that are still there. 😢

I think I’m not supposed to clean the box out until September for some reason. I might Google it.


I’ll keep an eye on anything else that decides to visit the box in the meantime!
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Don’t touch the nest until late September.
You may be lucky to get a second brood, however with Blue Tits it’s touch and go.
 
Ludwig said:
Anyone having problems with Starlings scoffing all the seed from the bird feeder ?
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yes me!!

I have 2 seed feeders, 2 suet ball holders and 2 half coconut feeders. They were attracting, Sparrows, Tits and Blackbirds. Then the Starlings found them. They cant feed of the seed feeders fastened to the washing line, birds are too big, but they can clean out the suet feed in around 4 hours. There was a flock of starlings on them. I counted 24 but there was nearer 34.

Ive stopped putting suet out for now.
 
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