watervole: (water vole)
Judith Proctor ([personal profile] watervole) wrote2008-06-04 09:55 am
Entry tags:

Bird alarm calls

I now know what a robin alarm call sounds like...

Two robins in the mulberry tree making an awful lot of one short repeated note.

Wondered what it was, then looked by the point in the ivy where we think their nest is.

CAT

Went and chased off the cat.  Alarm calls instantly ceased.

I do hope the babies are okay.  The cat wouldn't be sniffing around there if the eggs hadn't hatched.

(We can hear the baby blackbirds in the hedge where the roses are, but that's harder for a cat to get to)

Richard's loaded the supersoaker by the back door.

I've been watching around ten minutes now (and chased the cat off once more).  The parents are clearly nervous about approaching the nest again.  They keep flying to the ivy and then backing off again.  I can see one now, with a beak full of food, but he's waiting in the mulberry.

I think I'll go and wash the dishes.  That will put me in a position where I can watch the garden for half an hour and hear any alarm calls, while still getting some useful work done.

PS.  If you have a cat, and can face keeping it indoors for a month, this really is the time of year when baby birds are at their most vulnerable.  I'll bet whoever owns this tabby has no idea that it's out hunting baby robins.

[identity profile] cuddles-batcave.livejournal.com 2008-06-04 09:38 am (UTC)(link)
Ye cannae change the laws of nature!

We have a resident robin, who generally starts signing at 04:30 and has a huge songtime at dusk as well. Truly wonderful.

We've got a number of nesting birds in the hedges and trees behind our garden (the starlings use a hole in our side eaves where they've found a safe place to nest - 3 clutches this Spring!)but their biggest problem is the crows!
ext_15862: (Default)

[identity profile] watervole.livejournal.com 2008-06-04 10:03 am (UTC)(link)
The 'laws of nature' have rather less predators per acre than the average housing estate does. I love cats, but there are too many of them around here for many birds to have a chance of rearing young. A bit of thought from their owners at this time of year would reduce the death toll.

Birds that nest night lose out to crows and sparrowhawks. Birds that nest low lose to cats and foxes.

[identity profile] robinbloke.livejournal.com 2008-06-04 09:43 am (UTC)(link)
I have some Robins who live nearby, but don't know where they are.

I'm all for saving Robins of any age.
ext_15862: (Default)

[identity profile] watervole.livejournal.com 2008-06-04 10:04 am (UTC)(link)
Hurrah!

[identity profile] gair.livejournal.com 2008-06-04 10:36 am (UTC)(link)
But I think the point that's being overlooked here, [livejournal.com profile] watervole, is...

two robins??? It's a portent!

[identity profile] vjezkova.livejournal.com 2008-06-04 05:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, not only cats chase birds, there are even more dangerous predators. We have problems with a magpie that steals eggs and birdies from their nests! Cats can be shooed away, even the bird couple is able to scream the cat away - I have seen our resident blackbirds many times. But macpie just sneaks where it wants. I hear the alarm very often and it is always it. Magpie is on the list of hunted predators here but at present it also nests, so it is protected so far. Yes, the rules of the Mother Nature are harsh...
ext_15862: (water vole)

[identity profile] watervole.livejournal.com 2008-06-04 06:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't mind magpies. They have young of their own to feed, and there are only a small number in the neighbourhood.

There are a LOT of cats. Cats can only be shooed away, IF I'm there to do it.

We must have tougher cats around here... We lost a nest of baby blackbirds to a cat last year.

It's looking as though I arrived too late as I haven't seen the robins this afternoon.

[identity profile] vjezkova.livejournal.com 2008-06-04 07:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I would be really sorry if THAT happened...