Betty Blackbird

The garden was always a bustling hub of activity with our trusty blackbird friends. In the summertime, we would stumble upon juvenile birds and fledglings, clumsily flitting about the lawn and seeking refuge beneath shrubs and plants. Quite the spectacle, I must say!

They are lively birds - always ready for a display of strength, and keep themselves clean, though some of the places they choose are a bit strange.

On occasion, as we tidied up the garden in the autumn, we would stumble upon the relics of old nests, some still containing unhatched eggs. Oh, the tales those abandoned nests whispered, remnants of avian dreams left unfulfilled.

Now, let us take a moment to appreciate the dapper males, adorned in their striking black plumage and boasting those splendid yellow beaks. And oh, the clever camouflage of the females! Their brown feathers blending seamlessly with the branches and shrubs of the undergrowth, making it nigh impossible to spot them as they diligently tend to their nests and broods , when they grab a drink of water, or take time to preen themselves.

These clever creatures even indulge in games, my dear comrades! We decided to entertain the ravenous beasts in our garden by smearing some delectable peanut butter on a pine cone. And what a riot it turned out to be! Both the mischievous mice and our daring blackbird friends eagerly joined in the fun, devouring the treat with great gusto.

Now, brace yourselves for a tale of boldness and curiosity! Alongside the delightful Dunnocks, our beloved blackbirds reign supreme as the most adventurous, inquisitive, and mischievous garden birds (well, apart from the occasional pigeon, of course!). When we devised the cunning plan of enclosing the hedgehog food in cages to thwart those greedy pigeons, it was the blackbirds who proved to be the true pioneers. With their audacious spirit, they were the first to conquer the complex chicane entrances or simply slithered beneath the low sides, determined to claim their share of the feast. Eating in these places has its dangers though - as Mr Blackbird found when a cat tried to have him for tea!

Speaking of nests, we seemed to have stumbled upon quite a few abandoned ones in a particular spot of our garden - nestled within the leafy embrace of our beloved jasmine plant, gracefully climbing its trellis. The records show our first encounter with a nest in that very location was in 2016, complete with four abandoned eggs. Oh, the tales of missed opportunities!

But fear not, dear friends, for the blackbirds were not deterred. In the following years, we had the pleasure of witnessing fledglings being dutifully fed by their proud parents. Sometimes, the adults would frolic or bask in the warm sun, providing us with moments of pure delight. And in one fortunate year, we even managed to capture them on camera, tirelessly collecting materials for their nests.

Ah, but 2022 was the year of revelation! With the aid of a bird box camera, we finally caught a glimpse of the blackbirds in the act of nest-building. Oh, the thrill of witnessing their feathered construction project, a testament to their resourcefulness and determination.