Blackbirds Nesting In February.

[coldfingers]

Today my husband showed me two seperate female blackbirds sitting on nests in the local park. I don't know much about their nesting habits but would have thought this was unusualy early. Has anyone else seen such early nesting. Apart from mallards when I once saw a crazy pair nesting in December!!

[kar999]

I've heard the males singing for 2 or 3 weeks now and have known them nest in late Feb in our garden before.

Blackbirds can start breeding as early as February if the weather is favourable. It is normal for a blackbird to have up to three broods in a season, this activity can go on until late summer, sometimes even into autumn.

[Jane Louise]

Hi coldfingers.

We have a female Blackbird collecting her nesting materials around the garden at the moment. She then flies into the hedge whilst the male Blackbird keeps watch. The female robin has also started to do the same and is using the Robin nestbox I bought this year. It's so nice to sit and watch Nature so close by. I believe February isn't to early for the Blackbird and Robins to start nesting.

[Nick L]

We've seen some blue tits investigating the bird box in our garden recently.

[peterf]

the courtship songs and pairing up is well under way here.

collared doves in abundance, and their 4am racket will lead to a thinning of their numbers tomorrow.

[damianslaw]

Love blackbird bird song. Its always pleasing to start hear the blackbirds singing around this time of year - they do reach a frenzied crescendo mind come late april and may - many a 4am wake up call. But for the time being there song always reminds me spring is around the corner and enjoy watching them searching for worms on grassy ground and hopping about.

[Weathergirl]

Back in the late 1970's Blackbirds were nesting from mid February onwards. I know as I used to look for nests and made a diary and map of where they all were.

Used to love the half-term as I always found lots of nests, by then end of May it was all over. They can survive cold springs, but wet/cold springs are not good for all nesting birds.