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Gardening

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HELP! Cut a bush back and exposed a nest with eggs

10 replies

littlemisssunshine81 · 23/05/2018 11:58

I’ll start by saying I’m not an experience gardener. I was just doing some tidying when along comes OH and decides that more drastic work is needed (it wasn’t). Anyway all the pruning later I notice a little nest completely exposed with a tiny bright blue egg inside and two on the ground under the bush. I picked up the two and popped them back in the nest then gently moved the nest back a bit to a less exposed area. I was wearing gardening gloves and had been gardening all morning so I’m hoping I won’t have left any human scent or anything on them....
Now I’m really worried that the eggs are still viable but because it’s been ‘tampered with’ the mummy bird will not return or that something with get the eggs....would appreciate some advice or if I’m lucky reassurance that they’ll be ok! I love my garden creatures and go out of my way to rescue bees and snails so this has really bothered me 😩😥 (apologies for the possible over dramatic reaction but also pregnant so probably overly sensitive about the baby birds!)

Thankyou! X

OP posts:
Haberpop · 23/05/2018 12:05

Leave it alone, stay away from the area to give the parents a chance to return and don't be tempted to keep peeking to see if they are OK. As far as I know (my son is a falconer so he is my go-to guy for bird facts) birds don't have too much of a sense of smell so you should be OK from that aspect but the longer the parent bird stays away the poorer the outcome.

elefunk · 23/05/2018 12:06

It's a myth that the mother won't go back or accept her baby because of human scent. I guess just to watch and wait is really the only thing you can do.

littlemisssunshine81 · 23/05/2018 12:09

Thankyou! I am tempted to keep peeking but I cleared off as fast as I could and I’m going to leave it for now! Does anyone have an idea of what bird it could be? The nest was only about 5inches wide and three blue eggs about the same size as mini eggs.

OP posts:
andantecantabile · 23/05/2018 12:27

I'm no expert but the starlings in our roof lay bright blue 'mini-eggs!'

NanTheWiser · 23/05/2018 12:28

Probably a Robin, they can lay several clutches if conditions allow. I had a Robins nest in my shed a few years ago, and they raised four broods!

littlemisssunshine81 · 23/05/2018 13:44

Oh, we’ve had a robin in our garden for a while. I’m assuming it’s the same one. Very confident and quite happy to come right up to us and likes to watch what we’re doing....nosy Robin :-)

OP posts:
wowfudge · 24/05/2018 08:43

Robin eggs aren't blue so it's not a robin's nest.

Bluntness100 · 24/05/2018 08:47

Could be a few different types. Here is a link to help identify.

www.britishbirdlovers.co.uk/galleries/british-birds-eggs

yamadori · 24/05/2018 16:28

Dunnock (hedge sparrow) eggs are blue.

StripLynchet · 24/05/2018 17:33

Good advice above - please don't attempt any more pruning until nesting season is over.

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