Dodgy Blackbird nesting site!!

[Gadgetier]

Hi,

We have a Blackbird that has decided to build it's nest next to our garage door.
It is in a very exposed position and we feel that the eggs, currently two, have very little chance.
The two photo's show where they have built their nest.......
The red arrow is the nest and the blue arrow is the local cats toilet





Is there anything anyone can suggest that we can do to help protect the eggs??

Cheers

Roger.

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

The best thing to do would be to leave well alone. It's probably the nest of a first time nesting blackbird, and the way they learn to build in better places it by nest failing. It's better in the long run for them to lose a clutch

[Dutchess]

My thoughts exactly....they will learn by their mistakes. IMO there's nothing you can do - if you relocate they'd abandon anyway. We have had a similar situation twice in our back garden, in two different locations....and both times the young did not survive. For a very canny bird (my fav) the blackbird can be very naive....

HTH

D.

[smartie]

You might at least do something to move the local cats on somewhere else, perhaps by putting a mixture of fresh lemon or orange peel and spiky twigs in their current toilet spot If you can do it without disturbing the blackbirds, of course - though my experience with blackbirds is that they are fairly tenacious once they have built a nest and might see the cats off themselves.

[Lance Morgan]

I would leave the nest alone. I reckon they will abandon it anyway and set up home elsewhere. Its early in the season yet.

[ChrisJB]

Try squirting that cat repellant stuff that is like a green strong smelling jelly in the cat's toilet area. It seems to work in our garden.

Regards, Chris

[denn]

ye leave well alone roger, and will you stop spraying red and blue arrows on the wall.

[hobble]

I have robin's and a wren nesting in extremely dodgy places in my garden, I am leaving alone and hoping they make it. Keeping a check for cat's though.
I think something prickly on the soil would put the cats off your spot.

[Gadgetier]

Thanks for all the replies, Mother Nature teaches tough lessons, it's just a pity we walk pass this nest several times a day and will see it taught.
Anyway, smelly green stuff, Lion Roar and liquid deterrant down for the cats, just need some batteries for the sonic deterrant now!!!!
I think we still have some of the xmas tree around as well!!!!
With three eggs at the moment hopefully at least one will survive.......

Cheers

Roger.

[NigelT]

Hi.

I had a blackbird early last month building a nest in a large clump of bambo.
Along came all that wind we had and the poor thing's nest was destroyed.
There was only a circle of grasses to say where it had been any that was vertical.

It may have been a 'first timer'. Whatever it will have learnt a very hard lesson this year. Sad, I was looking forward to watching the progress and possible pics.