Two great tits on the ground since sat/sun..

adz · #1 (**permalink**) 26-05-2008, 06:13 PM

Hi

Is there anything I can do for these two great tits on the ground. They arrived on Sunday. Actually a cat had one on Saturday, it was still alive so I put it back in the nest. (we had great tits nesting in the garden).

The neighbours found one in the pond too, they haven't done very well!!!

Quite impressive they made it through the night with no cats getting them. mum/dad? is still around and has been feeding them all day. They flap their wings a bit and can move around, however today they haven't moved much + its raining all day.

Another one yesterday was flying in the trees, so I think that one is ok.

Is this normal behaviour ? why aren't they flying ?

Thanks.

shei111 · #2 (**permalink**) 26-05-2008, 06:27 PM

Firstly Hello adz and welcome to WAB site.

. Theres not really much you can do if mum and dad are about still feeding them then hopefully they should be okay and be able to fly a little to get them started fingers crossed its up up and away

theres very little anyone can do its a pity about the cat in the area but as I say fingers crossed and hope for the best

sheila

adz · #3 (**permalink**) 26-05-2008, 10:34 PM

Hi Sheila, yeah I'm pretty new around here!

Well they are still on the ground. Fairly sheltered and hidden, and a cat would struggle to get one of them.

I figured there was not a lot I could do, apart from scare the cats off. I thought if they had been on the ground this long it was game over, but maybe not then.

Back to work too, so if they have gone on Tuesday I'll never know what happened. Anyway here is a pic of the one which I think did make it.

James M · #4 (**permalink**) 26-05-2008, 10:41 PM

It's a shame when that happens, we get blue tits that fail to fly in some years, unfortunately a Magpie gets them everytime! I hope yours have better luck. Oh and welcome to WAB!

mrs fish · #5 (**permalink**) 27-05-2008, 07:11 AM

I have had the same thing here with Great Tits, we had three leave the nest box too early and they couldn't fly well , I have just found the third one drowned in a pot, one was eaten by the cat and the other was dead under a bush

I am going to look in the nest box to-day and see if there are any dead ones in there which could of made the parents get the live ones out too early.

adz · #6 (**permalink**) 27-05-2008, 08:53 PM

**update**

The two on the ground were pretty lively this morning, hopping around and flapping their wings a bit, still being fed, but then I had to go to work.

When I got home there was no sign of them, when the cat attacked one at the weekend there was some feathers, but tonight I could not find anything!!

So either they flew off (which seems impressive for 3 days on the floor), or a cat got them. I can't hear them calling any more.

Now for some questions.

At least one made it into a nearby tree, and maybe these other two as well. So, will I see them hanging around ? What usually happens ? do they stay nearby or fly off somewhere ?

I got one of these Suet things tonight so I've put that up.

I just read in another post they might have another brood, do they only do that if the all the babies died?