Fishing Blackbird

[Madelinew]

I MUST tell you about my fishing blackbird. He's absolutely fascinating to watch. He perches on the side of my wildlife pond and sits with his head to one side staring into the water. He'll suddenly duck his head down and emerges with something every single time. Most of the time, it's tadpoles but yesterday he got a big fat newt and spent a good long while bashing it to death on the stones (apologies squeamish newt fans - I do like my newts too).

He always comes to the same spot by the pond next to some reeds which he also scans for emerging damsel/dragon flies. There is a brood somewhere in the surrounding trees which is doing very very well.

The same blackbird goes to my bird feeding station and has worked out that if he makes abortive landing attempts on the seed feeders, he can knock seed out onto the ground below. He also pecks away at the suet balls and then goes down under the holder to pick up the bits he's knocked off.

He is showing a level of thought process I usually see in our magpies.

[witham]

What a great thing to watch, unless you're a Tadpole or a Newt of course We get alot of Blackbirds in our garden and I think they are very intellegent, you should see some of the ingenious places they have built nests in our outbuildings etc, how on earth they've found the sites is a puzzle, some have reared second broods despite us being about especially at the weekends so they must feel safe as we get alot of Crows, Magpies, Jackdaws etc who have trashed various nests outside. They also come to our pond but I've not seen them fishing yet.

[Madelinew]

We had a nest in a dragon palm tree near my kitchen window and it was so ingeniously placed that I thought they would be successful but between the magpies and the jays, the nest was emptied, sadly. I'm not that upset about it really as we have a prolific amount of birdlife in the garden and nature is nature. But this was in easy view of the kitchen and I had a literal birds eye view into the nest and was looking forward to seeing them develop and fledge.

What is funny at the moment is watching the recently fledged collared dove. It hasn't quite mastered landing on a perch easily yet and there's a lot of wobbling going on as it lands.

[djackso]

Originally Posted by Madelinew

Iand has worked out that if he makes abortive landing attempts on the seed feeders, he can knock seed out onto the ground below. He also pecks away at the suet balls and then goes down under the holder to pick up the bits he's knocked off.

He is showing a level of thought process I usually see in our magpies.

That's one bright bird!

[Tracey.A]

Yep, that blackbird seems to be one bright cookie. Lucky you having newts in your pond, what kind are they?

Tracey

[Kayleigh]

I saw a starling take a small frog from my pond then kill it then he fed it to his young.

[seamusagleann]

blackbirds also like the marrow out of dog bones!!!. i tied one on a branch and let him feed undisturbed !!! nice to watch!!

[ron1863]

That Blackbird thinks he's a Dipper

[aeshna5]

I've seen them fishing for tadpoles in my garden. Fascinating behaviour to observe!

[Madelinew]

Originally Posted by Tracey.A

Yep, that blackbird seems to be one bright cookie. Lucky you having newts in your pond, what kind are they?

Tracey

Just your boring old newts I'm afraid (if you can call such a cute creature boring). Great Crested and I'd have something to say about it!

Great sight this morning. I looked out of the kitchen window while my morning tea was brewing and there was the female with a newt in her beak giving it the requisite bashing. So not only do I have a smart blackbird but he's taught missus to do the same.

I have a new-found respect for my blackbirds this week.