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14/06/2008


my photos

BLACKBIRD FLEDGLINGS

I was having a conversation with my dad yesterday of the fact that neither of us had seen any young blackbirds yet this year around in our gardens, my dad saying it was most unusual. Back home later in the day I was on the PC with the doors and windows flung wide open, and low and behold I realised I could hear a young blackbird. I very slowly moved outside and there they were, two fledglings along with the male. I quickly retreated back inside to grab the camera, my photos of birds usually blurred on 10 x optical zoom, but as it turned out I was quite pleased with these. Click on each one for a closer look at the speckly markings.



I have come to notice each year they do love feasting on these Amelanchier fruits along with the starlings.

A few days previously I had spotted a very scruffy looking male on our flat roof, maybe he had been doing all the work taking food in to the nest, which the female would have constructed out of grass and mud, usually low in a tree or bush, sometimes using a previous nest as a base. The young are fed for twelve to nineteen days and after leaving the nest they are split between the pair.

12 comments:

Marie said...

Do you ever eat the amelanchier berries? They are one of my favourites, back here in New York. Very good in pies, too.

In fact, on Monday I'm off to the nurseries on Long Island to pick up three for a roof garden that we will be planting later in the week.

Anonymous said...

Your very own Springwatch! The photos are great. I've been hearing lots of birds in the trees here at home but have had no luck seeing them. xx

The Dutchess said...

The photos are just lovely,can i add you to my Kindred spirits list...
Warmly The Dutchess

Simone said...

I never realised that young blackbirds were so speckly!

Acornmoon said...

Your photographs are lovely. Birds are so difficult to capture on film, they are so small and move so fast!

Sal said...

Every year I have blackbirds nesting right outside my study ..but not this year!
I am not sure why that is!
Lovely pics!Sal;-)

Lavinia said...

You were in the right place at the right time, and you were rewarded by these lovely shots. I adore the new shot on your sidebar of the bird in the birdbath...what a beautiful birdbath.

Little Blue Violet said...

I so enjoy bird watching all year round but especially when the fledglings re about. There is almost nothing as sweet. Wood lice...I hate em. I was weeding around the potting shed yesterday and came upon hundreds of them. By the way I voted for the love-in-a-mist...I love to dry them in fall
smiles
DarLy*~

Anonymous said...

I'm amazed how wel lthese photos came out, Louise! They are sweet looking birds, posing just for you.

Erica-Jane said...

What lovely little chaps!
You're garden is looking glorious :o)

Erica
xoxo

Carol said...

Lovey photos Louise. I remember that there were many more birds in the garden when I was a child....I do love to hear them sing!
Cxx

The Ginger Darlings said...

When I visted a friend the other day she showed me a blackbirds nest that her dog's sister had found in teh garden. Fortunately they had gone to see what she was so interested in as the dog has the strongest killer instincts I have ever seen in a hound.
Now you know they are there you can hear their quiet but insistent begging for food as the parents work all day to satisfy them.
I managed to sneak a very quick photo and fortunately the camera did all the work and you can see it on my web journal at
http://www.jackiemorris.co.uk/now.htm

Many thanks to my cats for letting me use their blog to comment, and no, I will not tell them where the nest is!