CHICKS ON THE GROUND

April ended in typical April fashion, with cooler and wetter weather.

But, unlike last year when we had glorious sunshine and warm weather, May started with distinctly cooler and wetter conditions.

However, despite this there have been several new additions to the garden; all seen in the last few days.

A number of robin chicks, with their distinct mottled chests, have been in and around the garden, feeding on small invertebrates.

While the most seen in one go has been two, I suspect there are at least a couple more.

One of the parents has always been around, looking for danger and sometimes helping find food.

There have also been a few sightings of blackbird chicks, although not in the same numbers as the robins.

The blue tits are still hanging around, although where they are nesting is unknown – I suspect it’s not anywhere near the garden.

The great tit pair in the garden are now showing any signs of having chicks, but with the cameras now working it’s difficult to know.

I’m not hearing the tell-tale signs, but this might be because the parents are still on eggs.

Given the new chicks, and suspected other birds with at least built nests, if not eggs, the first order of mealworms has been placed.

I’m hoping to be able to test whether there are any newly hatched chicks when the mealworms are placed out later this week.

If the adult birds aren’t feeding on the mealworms, and instead gathering a beak full of them, I’ll then try and track them to the nests.

With the BBC’s Springwatch programme not far away, I do hope the weather warms up and helps us see lots of growing wildlife.

SUMMER WARMTH COMES EARLY

Late spring and early summer have been remarkably good weather wise, in comparison to previous years, although it’s not led to happy scenes in the garden.

The blue tits suffered a catastrophic failure of the nest, with five youngsters not fledging, most likely falling victim to the consistently warm and very warm weather.

I have a slight suspicion, given the five that died were in condition that suggested they were close to fledging, that one or two chicks did make it into the big bad world.

Blue tit chicks were heard in the trees following the five deaths, for a couple of days, which is not unusual compared to previous years.

I guess it’ll never be known whether any blue tits did successfully fledge, which is disappointing because it’ll be the first year that nest box has not fledged successfully.

Meanwhile, the robins are keeping us guessing on whether they have eggs, chicks or perhaps neither.

I suspect something it happening because they’re spending a lot of time in the garden, flirting with the hedge area around the nest box hidden in the ivy.

They’re very nervous, even shunning free mealworms, which heightens my suspicion that eggs are definitely there.

What’s more I now only see one bird at a time, and in recent days it’s been carrying caterpillars and grubs towards the nest box.

Perhaps all will be revealed soon.

The blackbirds haven’t been seen or heard of for a weeks or so now, and I overheard one of the cat-owning neighbours talking about the cats bringing in a blackbird recently, so I just hope it wasn’t one of the ones in the evergreen bush.

If it was then it would explain why nothing has been seen or heard from them.

Again another shame because it’s domestic cats ruining local wildlife for people. There are eight cats between three houses, with one house feeding stray cats nearby.

It’s no wonder there’s not been sight of mice/vole/shrew predators, such as owls and kestrels in recent years; their wild food is being killed by well-fed domestic cats.

Finally the broad bean, tomato and sunflowers plants are all outside now, although the slugs and snails are ensuring all but the broad beans are not doing well. The battle will continue, but hopefully we’ll see success now the organic pellets are protecting the plants.

THE BREEDING SEASON HAS SPRUNG INTO LIFE

In my last post I posed the question about swallows returning, speculating they would probably come this weekend, but little did I know they were much closer than I thought.

I spotted the first on Saturday 07^th April, a day earlier than last year and another one was sighted on Monday.

The previous dates for the first swallow sighting have been:

2017 – 08/04

2016 – 10/04

2015 – 21/04

2014 – 19/04

And they couldn’t have timed their arrival better as the weather is expected to rise dramatically next week.

The wildlife must expect it because the blue tits are constantly hanging around the most popular nest box, while the one nest box that has never been used, aside from a small wasp nest a few years ago, is seeing nesting action!

Not only that but it’s a bird I see around the garden, but has never nested there before.

A wren has been spotted taking nesting material into it and I’m delighted because I’ve spent the last few years training ivy to grow around it and offer a hidden nesting spot. Blink and you'll miss it on this video.

While I don’t expect all seven nest boxes to be used this year, if the wren does use and build to use it’ll mean all have been used at least once and take the number of species up to five – blue tit, great tit, robin, house sparrow, tree sparrow and now wren.

The flora is also showing signs of growth, with the lawn growing fast and the trees and bushes finally realising that winter is finished – well for now!

The robins and blackbirds have gone quiet in and around the garden, but a female blackbird has been spotted with nesting material out the back, so it’s all go on the nest building front, which means egg laying is close.

Insect movement is increasing with the odd butterfly and bee flirting with the garden, finding which flowers have bloomed and taking great interest in the growing tree blossom.