Spring Watch in my Back Garden Nursery

I have just spent a wonderful hour or so in my back garden, doing my own Spring Watch! Earlier this week, our nesting Tree Sparrows fledged and the chicks have been really cute, bobbing around under the shrubs, being fed by mum and occasionally one or two have been brave enough to hop over to the pond for a drink. They are now flying around quite a bit, keeping in a group mostly, and chasing each other from branch to branch like a bunch of kids.

Yesterday, the House Sparrows fledged so there are fluffy little chicks everywhere again. These little guys are keeping fairly close together and shaking their wings telling mum to feed them. One or two brave ones came to where some seed had spilled onto the ground but didn’t seem too sure what to do. They look very cute in the evening sunlight.

Whilst I was topping up some feed I heard a lot of chirping coming from one of our old nesting boxes, Rickety Rick so I think there must be more chicks in there. In the past, it has been home to Blue tits but last year a family of Coal tits commandeered it so who knows what’s in there this year? I must really try and see if I can rig up a remote camera ready for next year so I can watch them.

As I stood by the back door watching them all through my binoculars, I noticed our Blackbird picking up some bread and flying into one of the large shrubs. He had a nest in the front garden but lost all of the chicks, we think, to a local cat. He was busily taking food away though so using the bins I scoured around and eventually spotted the nest - I couldn’t see in but there are obviously chicks in there as I watched several trips back and forth and then heard the little chirps. I’ll keep an eye on that over the next few days.

I feel quite pleased that we have so many nesting birds for what is only a small garden. I will try and get some new pictures tomorrow if I can just stop sneezing for a while - unfortunately, it’s hayfever time again.