Spring Watch ๐Ÿฆ‰ from your living room or garden ๐Ÿ

WhatThe
WhatThe Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 5,626 Championing
edited May 3 in Coffee lounge

I've had the privilege of watching crows build a nest near the top of a tree from my top floor windows. It took about a fortnight to weave sticks into a basket.

I read that these birds mate for life and build more than one nest in case one is not viable but they have decided to settle here ๐Ÿ˜Š

Mrs Crow has been sitting on it since last weekend - she lays one blue egg a day though I can't see into the nest. It's lined with white fur and meant to be big enough for the chicks until they fledge but I don't think many will fit. There's also not much canopy above her so she keeps getting bombed by other crows! I don't know if they are trying to steal eggs or mate with her and Mr Crow can be a bit slow to get here ๐Ÿ™„

Four weeks later, I can see and hear at least two chicks. Both parents are feeding and the canopy now hides them so I can only see them when the wind is blowing. They are quieter versions of their very noisy parents.

Springwatch returns to our screens later this month!

What can YOU see from your living room or garden this Spring?

Comments

  • Mary_Scope
    Mary_Scope Posts: 4,501 Scope Online Community Children and Family Specialists

    This sounds lovelyย @WhatThe! Have you seen the little babies yet?

    From my living room I can only see my neighbours unfortunately! But from my garden I can see a really big mountain and it's always so nice to see that get brighter and greener each Spring/Summer๐Ÿ˜Š

  • Bluebell21
    Bluebell21 Community Member Posts: 2,751 Trailblazing
    edited May 3

    We had two magpies building a nest for a few days in this tree at the bottom of my garden. @WhatThe

    Then they just left and took some of the twigs with them. Which was a shame.

    DSCI0931.JPG
  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 5,626 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1123018#Comment_1123018

    I can see two bobbing about flapping wings already but it's getting harder by the day to see inside the tree.

    Watching these sycamores sprout lime green splashes every year makes me so happy, too! They will soon screen my opposite neighbours which also makes me happy ๐Ÿ˜‰

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 5,626 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1123070#Comment_1123070

    Bluebell, perhaps the magpies will return next year when the shrub is taller and hides the nest.. One of our gardening experts or birdwatchers might know. Thank you for sharing and happy Spring to you!

    ("Which was a shame." I can't help but think of the Fast Show here ๐Ÿ˜„)

  • michael57
    michael57 Community Member Posts: 2,797 Championing

    magpies will usually have numerous nests on the go and will pick the one most unseen by predators they are very clever birds

  • Bluebell21
    Bluebell21 Community Member Posts: 2,751 Trailblazing

    I did wonder @WhatThe when I saw how exposed the nest was. Perhaps next year.

    Happy Spring to you too.

  • Bluebell21
    Bluebell21 Community Member Posts: 2,751 Trailblazing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1123103#Comment_1123103

    Thank you. I did not know that.

  • SoapySoutar
    SoapySoutar Community Member Posts: 590 Empowering
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1123103#Comment_1123103

    My neighbours moan about the noise the magpies make, but tbh, I prefer that to their whinging!

  • michael57
    michael57 Community Member Posts: 2,797 Championing

    haha they are rather vocal

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 5,626 Championing

    ๐Ÿ˜† magpies, crows and parrakeets here and I'd choose their noise any day!

  • Amberpearl
    Amberpearl Community Member Posts: 3,902 Championing

    Lots of pidgeons and seagulls

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 5,626 Championing
    edited May 4

    I forgot about the noisy seagulls and screeching squirrels ๐Ÿฟ๏ธ and frolicking foxes ๐ŸฆŠ I love it here.

  • SoapySoutar
    SoapySoutar Community Member Posts: 590 Empowering
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/1123205#Comment_1123205

    I draw the line at herring gulls, they made my life a misery when I lived in another Angus coastal town, where the harbour is now called a 'marina'!

    The monstrous herring gulls prefer kebab meat and household food waste to fish these days sadly, and street lights allow them to feed 24/7. We are so kind to them!

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