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The hut

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ideasguy:
Thanks for the detailed info, Laurie - very much appreciated.
I had a more thorough check in the hut this evening, and found the nest. I dont know how I missed it last night.
It was pretty much intact, but lying on the ground.
The materials and the lining fits the description you gave. From the incubation date you give, they may have hatched.
From my first posting, that first egg was layed on 12th May. 11 days (min) takes that to 23rd for little chicks. If it then takes 12 days, it was not long enough for them to have grown sufficiently to fly the nest though, I fear.
There was droppings in the nest, so it looks like there were fledglings.

We do have a cat which sneaks in from time to time (my dog goes frantic so it gets a chase, but still comes back!)

Today, my wife spotted a thrush flying into a thicket of Clematis montana growing through one of our apple trees, further up the garden. It was carrying nesting material!

ideasguy:
One week after discovering the Thrushes nest, we realised a Blackbird was building in the Pyracantha, trained up the side of a Shed.

That Pyracantha has orange berries. For this past number of years Ive noticed a blackbird taking the berries during Christmas week. The fruit is untouched up to that point. It must have decided that plant is a good home as well as a good food source!

The good news is that the blackbird is having more luck than the thrush. Its almost impossible to see the nest and those thorns are discouraging enough to keep me from getting curious.
For this past week, its been carrying food to its babies. It flits around the garden all day picking up food. We've had a shower or two over the weekend and that seems to bring its quarry to the surface- judging by the amount of grubs and worms in its beak on each return trip.
Just before dark last night we had a little confrontation. There it was as on the patio (just below its nest) as I walked past to the greenhouse. I stopped abruptly as soon as I spotted it and we stared at each other. I made the first move and walked past. It didn't fly away!

Now the problem. Its nest is just above the spot where our big doggie lazes during the day. I'm petrified as to what is going to happen when those little fledglings make their maiden flight! I hope they don't crash land  :o

NightHawk:
That's great news about your new Blackbird 'enhanced' family George.

Once they've all left the nest, the brood is split between the two adults, with the male generally caring for his group longer than the female, which may leave them to begin another brood.

They can have a clutch of 3-5 eggs each time and there may be two or three broods in a season.

So once this lot have fledged George, you could still get some more.  :D

You'll probably need to keep an eye out for that, and restrict your doggie's activities around the nest. (Probably easier said than done though.)

Good luck with that.  ;D

Laurie.

ideasguy:
Ive only noticed the female so far, with the brownish colouring. The male is black:
http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/blackbird.htm
I hope that hawk didn't take it!
We plan to invite our dog into the house as much as possible until the fledglings escape!
Hes notorious for attacking fledglings - all part of his nature, unfortunately.

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