Monday 6 June 2016

Nature...

Yesterday, the bird box was full of exciting and also demanding twitter, from the family of blue tits. We could hear the parents calling for them to depart but they took several hours to do it. We sat and watched patiently. However, although managing to catch a sight of one thinking about it, we missed the exit. The box was made by DS when he was in cubs, needs a new lid soon:
 This may be the same fledgeling twice but we saw 2 and could hear more in the box:

Several days before we heard the cheeping, we had found a dead chick about 5' from the nest, nude except for a few wing feathers.

After all the babies had left the nest, I found two stuck between some netting near the water butts so picked them up and put them into the neighbours rose bush where the parents were. They found them, fed them and off they went.

All afternoon though, I heard cheeping from one individual but couldn't find it. The sound grew quieter and more intermittent. About 6pm I finally found it collaped, hiding under some greenery. I picked it up and kept it in my hands to warm it. There were by now, no parents around and I think they had left it, probably the runt as it was half the size of the others.

I think leaving the nest had almost been too much for it, it didn't even want to feed. Anyway, after about 10 minutes in my hands, it was a bit more upbeat but couldn't stand up so I put it into a small box with some nesting material and took it back outside, putting it near where I found it.

A couple of hours later it was dead. I actually felt quite sad, nature knew better but I like to feel I gave it a bit of love and warmth in its last few hours of life:(

7 comments:

  1. Ah Dc, how sad, but to be honest I've never had a lot of luck rescuing birds. Great that you had a successful attempt earlier and the parents accepted them back. We have a new bed box but it isn't where we sit and watch so haven't seen any activity. We get LOADS of bird visitor to the feeders though - and the grey squirrel who is determined to discover a way of getting nuts out of one of them! I did leave my email address on another post - hope it wasn't too late for the poppies! Lx

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    1. Have just sent you and email, so hope you get it.

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  2. That makes me sad. Couldn't image leaving my sick baby but birds don't think like humans, do they?

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  3. Nature can be cruel and wonderful in equal measure sometimes can't it? K and A have blue tits nesting in the garden and have been watching the comings and goings. We have tree bees nesting in one of our bird boxes, but that's better than them nesting in the house wall and appearing in the bathroom like they did last year!

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  4. I know it sounds harsh but we should nt interfere with nature in this way. Some birds are meant to survive and some not. Go inside and try to ignore what is going on in bird land !

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  5. Shame, but you tried and that is what counts xxx

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  6. I've been enjoying a peek round your blog. we've got our bird boxes filled too - I find it as anxious a time as when I had small beings myself!

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