The Eggs Hatched!

With great joy we experienced the hatching of all 4 eggs! It happened when it was very dark, so it was difficult to see, and the mother was kind in the way, nonetheless we are happy we have now four little blackbirds.

They are blind, with enormous eyes but still closed, and practically without any plumes. They can't really hold their heads up, but just for a few seconds when they get food from their Mom. She brings worms and larvae and she's very careful in perfectly cleaning the nest. The little ones' droppings are immediately collected – sometimes as they come out of the little bodies – and... eaten... yes, I know, kind of disgusting for us, but not in nature. Also, she's sure all the parasites are immediately taken care of.

Well, this is exciting! Enjoy a couple of extracts from the webcam!

Check also these other posts relating to the past and current blackbird visits
http://searchimpressions-life.blogspot.it/2018/04/blackbird-nesting.html
http://searchimpressions-life.blogspot.it/2015/04/sad-news.html 
http://searchimpressions-life.blogspot.it/2015/04/happy-easter.html

                                                   

Blackbird Nesting

For the third year in a row, blackbirds are nesting on our terrace. The first year they chose a pot, making the nest close to the root of the plant. The female laid three eggs and we were able to check the nest thanks to a small webcam. Unfortunately, a magpie came and stole the eggs, and the parents abandoned the nest. [you can see what happened here https://searchimpressions-life.blogspot.it/2015/04/sad-news.html]

Last year they (or another couple) made the nest in a safer spot, among the branches of our jasmine, in the corner against the wall, but again something went wrong, because the female abandoned the nest and two eggs, without a reason I could understand.

I left the nest there and this year she's back again, on the same nest. She's been brooding for at least a couple of weeks, so we should be almost there. She stays most of the time on the nest, sometimes turning the eggs with her beak. But once in a while she leaves... sometimes for ten minutes, sometimes more... It helps maintaining the correct temperature of the eggs, but every time we keep our breath: will she come back? So far she has always come back. We are crossing our fingers. Still a long way to go!

P.S.: Don't worry, the birds are not disturbed. The camera is very small and hidden, and remotely controlled. :)

Sad News

I know today is Easter and is a happy day, but unfortunately I have bad news. Just a couple of days after discovering a Blackbird nest on my terrace, when we were already picturing ourselves as parents and looking forward to seeing the little ones coming out of the eggs in less than two weeks, today the nest was attacked by a Magpie.

Checking the web cam, at a certain point we noticed only two eggs were visible... we hoped one egg had just rolled towards the side of the nest so it was not in sight but when the female came back, she moved the eggs and clearly only two were still there. What had happened?!

I quickly played the recording and there it was, what we had feared. The female left in a hurry and frightened, and shortly after the Magpie came and took one of the eggs away. We know this is nature, but certainly we felt very sad since we were already feeling like we had adopted the new family to be.

But now, the situation is even worst since it looks pretty clear the nest has been abandoned. The Magpie attacked a couple of more times and even though she didn't take more eggs, I am afraid the parents thought the site was too exposed and dangerous. The female never came back to the nest after leaving for the last time.

For a second I thought that even though the two remaining eggs had etched, the little pulli would have been in danger to be caught by the Magpie, such an even worst sight than seeing the nest predated of the eggs.

Well, I keep telling myself that's nature... and the Magpie has to survive as well, but I am pretty sad right now...

Feeders Visitors

After a warm beginning of the winter season, now days are pretty cold with temperatures often close to 0°C.  Such conditions are good ones to see an increase in the visits of birds to the feeders I built in the garden and on the terrace. Strategically positioned perches and the ground areas close to the feeder are the spots where I try to catch the birds. Here are some of the first shots.

             533mm f/6.3 1/250sec ISO 500

                                   560mm f/6.3 1/640sec ISO 800

             533mm f/5.6 1/320sec ISO 500

             533mm f/5.6 1/80sec ISO 500

             533mm f/5.6 1/500sec ISO 500

             533mm f/5.6 1/125sec ISO 500

             560mm f/5.6 1/125sec ISO 500