How can I help keep great tit fledglings safe in my courtyard?

[PerryMenopaws]

I have a great tit nest in my small courtyard garden. They've been chirping for about two weeks so I expect they'll be popping out soon. The garden is small, mostly concrete, little vegetation or cover for them. I'm worried about safety from cats or bigger birds. Any ideas on what I can do to keep them safe?

Try to make safe spaces between planters and if you get cat sensors. Cats also don’t like smell of white vinegar so I spray that. I also hang up shiny objects like cds and scary eyes (available off Amazon). Good luck. My heart breaks every year (mostly magpies that get ours).

What about putting up a large garden parasol until the babies have flown?

If you can afford to, a few different sized pots of plants close together will provide some cover.

If you can, something bushy and/or tall in one of the pots would be ideal.

Those scary/shiny objects may also scare the parent birds away so I wouldn't recommend that personally.

Every intervention causes a different problem so just let them get on with it.

Would vinegar scare away the parents as well? I'm particularly worried about one cat which comes to the garden.

We can pop and get some plants today. I've also got a very bushy front garden so could just cut lumps of bushes off to cover the ground.

I have become far too attached to these babies and I really hope they're kept safe 🙏

This. Just leave them to it as much as possible - however well meaning you are likely to do more harm than good. Sadly they are not all meant to survive - that is why they have so many.

If you know who owns the cat you could ask them to keep it indoors for a couple of days around the time you know they'll fledge (you can work this out if you can remember when the parents started to bring food).

If you have the space you could put out a bird table with seed and dried mealworms. Also, you could put out a shallow saucer of water - birds like to wade in - maybe in one of your planters so it's more sheltered from predators?

I also have a small courtyard and it has been baby bird central for a few weeks now. There are dunnocks, robins and bluetits. There is a wrens' nest in one of my clematis vines but I haven't seen any wren chicks. I see adults going to to the nest often though. There is also a wood pigeons' nest (not thrilled about this) but have yet to see wood pigeon chicks.

The main thing I have done is put out a feeder with birdseed - just a general songbird mix. Lots of robins, bluetits and dunnocks use it; they're all a bit scruffy so I think they might be juvies.

Thanks all. I'm afraid I've no idea who's cat it is.

Hi all. I woke up three days ago and the nest was quiet and neither the fledglings or the parents anywhere to be seen. I carefully searched the tiny garden and no signs anywhere so presumably they made it over an 8 foot fence and I hope they are safe and well.

Today though, mum and dad came back and were sitting on the fence.

I got very attached to this bird family, felt a bit of grief at their departure. Does anyone who knows about these birds have any insight?

The parents only need two of the fledglings that they produce throughout their lives to survive to maintain the numbers.