Is it normal to see blackbird chicks at this time of year ?

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

I`m fairly certain ive just seen 2 blackbird chicks in the garden with a male parent, they were the normal chick colour of dark brown with speckles on the front. The male left them in the top corner of the garden and then he popped into next doors where i watched him foraging for food.

Is it normal for blackbirds to have chicks this late in the year ?

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Steve_In_Cheshire

I`m fairly certain ive just seen 2 blackbird chicks in the garden with a male parent, they were the normal chick colour of dark brown with speckles on the front. The male left them in the top corner of the garden and then he popped into next doors where i watched him foraging for food.

Is it normal for blackbirds to have chicks this late in the year ?

More likely to be older females or 1w birds. (unless you actually saw the male feeding them!)

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

Originally Posted by Picidae

More likely to be older females or 1w birds. (unless you actually saw the male feeding them!)

I didn`t see the male come back as it got dark very quickly, this was at last light but i had enough light when all 3 birds arrived in the garden. They looked and behaved like chicks, they stayed in the same spot where the male had left them like a lot of chicks seem to do.

Hopefully i can get a pic tomorow when its light.

[Nightranger]

Originally Posted by Steve_In_Cheshire

I`m fairly certain ive just seen 2 blackbird chicks in the garden with a male parent, they were the normal chick colour of dark brown with speckles on the front. The male left them in the top corner of the garden and then he popped into next doors where i watched him foraging for food.

Is it normal for blackbirds to have chicks this late in the year ?

As Picidae said, it could be first winter birds albeit that they may have come from a very late brood. The mild conditions seem a distant memory now but we did have quite a late running summer this year in relative terms. We probably cannot tell but I wonder if they are recently arrived continental birds and the family unit has stayed together because the youngsters were not fully independent when they had to depart. I have never heard of this type of behaviour being recorded before but I imagine it is possible.

[Cheryl]

I don't know about Blackbirds but I saw these "Cootlings" which were only a few of many at Fountains Abbey this last half term (the last week of October).

I thought at the time that they were a bit late and wondered how usual that was?

[Jenny W]

Originally Posted by Nightranger

We probably cannot tell but I wonder if they are recently arrived continental birds

I was wondering that too - some continental races of Blackbird are quite speckly in full adult plumage too.

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

Ive not seen them today but its hardly suprising seeing as our resident sparrowhawk spent most of the afternoon preening himself on the fence.