13th July - Like You, Nothing's Forever

Our young abandoned Blackbird that we were feeding stayed with us until Tuesday, when unfortunately Helen found it dead in the place where it would hide.  Its behavior became stranger and stranger, staying out in the open, and not attempting to shelter in the trees and bushes.  Towards the end it was struggling to breather, and would not really show any interest in the food we gave it.

The story while being sad also gives another insight into bird behaviour, a nd in particular that of Mother Nature.  The parent bird visibly ignored it, avoiding the begging and attempts to take food.  Does this mean that the parent knew it was ill, and decided not to waste time on the bird, as it was not right?  Nature can be cruel, but for good reason I suppose.  Never has the phrase "the survival of the fittest" seemed to come to life.

Here is one picture I managed to take when it was a little fitter, and actually sitting in the trees.  At least this little Blackbird will not be forgotten

There was more demonstrations of communication between the Blackbirds this week, unfortunately I wasn't able to witness it personally, but Helen was.  It involved on of the juvenile Blackbirds and "our" Blackbird.  The juvenile bird was in the garden and spotted Helen in the kitchen.  It flew to the back door, calling with the clucking call.  Helen put some worms out in the normal dish, but the youngster wasn't sure what to do.  So it flew off, calling, and after a short while returned, and straight after it appeared so did "our" Blackbird.

He then proceeded to pick up the worms and feed the begging juvenile!  So here is a case of the young bird going off to get its parent to come to the garden and then feed it.  How was the message relayed?  Was it just coincidence?  It is though fascinating to observe the interactions between the birds.

On another not the female has turned up today, and is taking the worms away again, so we can only assume that she has been brooding eggs, and that they have now hatched.  I can only feel sorry for "our" Blackbirds feathers, although he continues to feed the two juvenile birds.