Blackbird at Dawn...

Our resident blackbirds are well on their way to rearing their second batch of chicks. For weeks now the male has been busy searching for food. He is constantly perusing the lawn and garden for worms, and amazingly can actually still sing with squirming wildlife hanging from his beak. Quite a feat. He is occasionally joined by his mate.

"What's for tea sparrow?"

Yesterday, whilst chilling with my book on the lawn my eye was drawn to a baby blackbird taking refuge behind a flowerpot. As we have two marauding cats I felt duty bound to rescue the tiny mite. It seemed hardly ready for life outside the nest. I picked it up and it warmed itself in my hand.

"Ahh..."

Meanwhile the male blackbird was singing in the nearby buddleia. The baby bird relaxed in my hand, then suddenly it squawked, which produced an immediate reaction from the parent. He sounded his alarm call and dive-bombed me. Even though he was small it was quite scary. I released the baby into the hedge where I have seen both parents scuttling in and out over the past few weeks. (I haven’t been able to locate the nest.) Hopefully the baby survived its ordeal. I could hear more young ‘chipping’ in the hedge so the escapee wasn’t alone.

The cats were given short shrift too. Both were seen at different times of the day hastily retreating from the parents' onslaught. Good on 'em! The male blackbird was leading the dawn chorus at 3.45 this morning! That makes for a looong day!

Thanks for your time.

The Old Country Crone xx