Wednesday 12 May 2010

Bird with worms


Not the best place to have a nest box in the Soggibottom garden.
We never really expected the box to have any inhabitants as Frank's "best spot" in the garden is just under the nest box.
It looked good at the time.
Until our neighbour cut down the honeysuckle.




When we went to take it down and spruce up the fence paint we were stunned to find eggs inside the nest box.
One nest box hastily replaced.

Not sure what's going to happen when they fly as our new neighbour has three cats on the other side of the fence.
Frank one side and three cats the other.
Any idea's to save the family are welcome.

I'm sure Frank has loads of idea's, but we'll ignore him.


11 comments:

MyCretanlife said...

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmm. Kind of an awkward situation that. Maybe you could put a barrier of some kind up to stop your cat getting too close to the nest box. Does he know that its occupied?

Anonymous said...

Wonderful that you have a nest box in use. The tit looked like he was cautious so hopefully he is savvy enough to keep clear of cats.

Beyond the Dog Dish said...

Loved your chickadee video! You mentioned you used to own a black lab on my site. I also used to have labs (blonde and black). I see similar personalities in labs and cavaliers.

Lisa said...

Well it is what cats do! Yucky I know. Hope all goes well!
Hugs, lisa

Allie said...

Oh dear! Well, some kind of barrier would be my idea - chicken wire or some such. I hope the little ones make it ok!

WoolenSails said...

How neat, you could hear the babies chirping the minute mom came in with the worm. It is hard when the babies get taking, but unfortunately, that is nature.

Debbie

Tweedles -- that's me said...

I know what. Put something stinky around the bird nest that the kitties don't like. And then, I just know you could bribe a pack of bunny rabbits to chase those cats away. All you need is some carrots for bribery. And then, put egg shells on the ground around the nest area BECAUSE I don't think kitties like eggs shells on their feet.
love
tweedles

Caroline B said...

Forget the cats, watch out for the magpies!! Usually, it's only the day the chicks fledge that you need to keep the cats away as once they are flying they are safe. I once spent a day posting coal-tit chicks back into their box as they were flopping about in the flower bed and the dogs were circling....I think they all survived the trauma!

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Some sort of L-shaped board affair that the cats couldn't jump onto, but that would catch the baby birds when they jumped? but not that the Magpies could use to stand on?

Shelley said...

I love chickadees - one of my favorite birds! I often hand feed them up at our cabin. Can you move the next box higher? Or wrap some sort of barrier around the perimeter such as chicken wire?

Simply Debbie said...

GREETINGS.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO SOGGIBOTTOM. I LOVE FRANK...HE'S A SMART LITTLE THING..YOU CAN SEE IT IN HIS EYES.
I AM SO EXCITED THAT YOU HAVE A NEST BOX IN USE...COULD EVERYONE KEEP THEIR CATS INSIDE UNTIL THE BABIES FLY THE NEST BOX?
THEY SAY THEY CAN SMELL THE EGGS...SQUIRRELS WILL ALSO STEAL EGGS.
NICE TO MEET YOU
HUGS
SIMPLY DEBBIE