Yesterday found a dead nestling hanging out of my front House Sparrow terrace. Not sure if the bird had died in the nest and the adult had been unable to drag it out or if the box had been raided. This was the second brood this year for this box so I wonder about conditions inside but don’t want to disturb another pair nesting in the same terrace! Problems problems.
The picture above is last years episode with the same box. I had observed a young bird over a period of days peering out of the box and had puzzled over why it hadn’t fledged or was it just returning to the box. Heard a commotion one morning and went out to find a Kestrel trying to pull the nestling out of the box. It eventually flew off without its prize which was left hanging by some fishing line. My neighbour later explained she had seen the young bird fluttering around the box unable to fly away as it was tethered by the line which the adult had used to build the nest. The fluttering had attracted the Kestrel which dispatched the poor wee thing but was unable to pull it free!
On a lighter note some good news from a site in Northumberland which was dodgyscoped last week. More news shortly.
The picture above is last years episode with the same box. I had observed a young bird over a period of days peering out of the box and had puzzled over why it hadn’t fledged or was it just returning to the box. Heard a commotion one morning and went out to find a Kestrel trying to pull the nestling out of the box. It eventually flew off without its prize which was left hanging by some fishing line. My neighbour later explained she had seen the young bird fluttering around the box unable to fly away as it was tethered by the line which the adult had used to build the nest. The fluttering had attracted the Kestrel which dispatched the poor wee thing but was unable to pull it free!
On a lighter note some good news from a site in Northumberland which was dodgyscoped last week. More news shortly.
And finally, a mystery bird for EA……… yes, it is a bird not a smudge and happens so quickly it’s difficult to spot even when you’re standing looking at the wall!
This must be a Black Middens swift?
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your comment and guidance re locations and also dragonflies information. They are on the list of things to photograph along with butterflies and moths.
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