Betty has been out and about at dawn . Back on the nest now. It's very wet here this morning
At night the female will stay on the nest , occasionally putting her head under her wing for a sneaky sleep. She will also periodically get up and turn her four eggs. She will stay until around dawn (5:30- 6am) and then leave to stretch her wings , have a drink and something to eat.
During the day the Female, Betty, will spend most of the time on the nest. Mr Blackbird will pay the odd visit and perhaps bring her a snack.
A magpie has taken an interest (24/4/24) in the tree she is in and has been sitting on top of it , about 4 feet from the nest. We will have to see if it decides to investigate inside the tree.
She will spend all night on the nest.
Think the clutch is now all laid and she will start incubating. Expect hatching to start in 13/ 14 days - 6th or 7th May.
First egg laid around 12:20 pm on 20/4/24. May expected 1 a day more till there are 4 perhaps before she incubates full time.
Second egg laid at a similar time on the 21/4/24 - its always difficult to actually know the time its laid!
Third egg laid around noon on the 22/4/24 and the fourth at noon on the 23/4/24.
While laying eggs Blackbirds don't sit on the eggs full time, they only start doing this once they have laid all their eggs. This is so they all start developing together and hatch at the same time.
It seems that she will lay her eggs around lunch time and then disappear for the day, popping back occasionally to check on them throughout the day and first thing at dawn and then again every couple of hours till she is ready to lay.
Blackbirds nesting in a leylandii.
There are two cameras in this feed, but they are not always in sync and may be as much as a minute out.