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Female blackbird loses her mate - very sad

I could not beleive my eyes last night whilst driving along a country lane.  A male blackbird had been killed by a car and was lying in the road.  Female was sitting on side of road looking on.  A huge crow was picking over the dead male when suddenly the female flew at him and began to attack him.  Even when he flew away she was still having a go at him in mid air.

What feisty birds these blackbirds are and so devoted to their mate.

Made me feel very sad.  I know the crow probably had a nest of babies to feed as well - that is just nature.  image

Posts

  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    Yes, it is indeed nature - but the car isn't so the poor bird never stood a chance agains it.   I don't know if she can bring the clutch to fledging by herself - maybe if they are quite well advanced?  They are devoted couples and good parents, and that song  is so lovely.  Sad .....

  • Yes you are right Bookertoo, the car is not nature and it saddens me to see so much road kill, the poor wildlife just does not stand a chance. 

  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    It is however interesting how nature takes the best out of things, there is a bypass not too far from where I live, and sadly many small things lose their lives there - though so far it mostly has been squirrels (I must admit no sorrow there) and the odd pigeon (none there either) but the local kestrels, of which we are lucky enough to have quite a few - enjoy the road kill as unchased food!  I do worry that they too may get run over, but have never seen that, I imagine they are too quick and careful for that, and a free meal cannot be a totally bad thing. 

  • Alan4711Alan4711 Posts: 1,657
    On a more cheerful note i worked on the Radcliffe on Soar power station many years ago in Nottinghamshire what a monstrosity it was ,however now it has a small golf course a really great nature reserve and close up looks just great for the wild life now there,not all bad then i hope ,,,,Alan4711
  • SalinoSalino Posts: 1,609

    ...I feel a little sad right now having just seen a dead Song Thrush on the road, next to the pavement, whilst out walking my dog... it looked like a very recent kill... not sure whether by car or cat... they are my favourite songsters and so beautiful to look at... it does upset me.. that...there just aren't enough of them...

  • LL, was the site where you saw the dead blackbird near enough to you for you to go and leave some dried mealworms near the site?  It might help the female to raise some of her brood, if not all,  I normally only put seed and suet cake out, but if I know there are LOTS of fledgelings (sparrows normally, plus Mr and Mrs Blackbird up in the Rowan) I will put out dried mealworms.  They always disappear very quickly at this time of year, I just have to chase the stupid collared doves off the feeder, they arrive every day and look hopefully at the mesh dish - it's normally empty, if I fed them they wouldn't be able to to take off, they're so fat.

  • Unfortunately Muddy Paws it was too far away from where I live.  I do put mealworms out for the birds as well and they do disappear very quickly.  I must admit I love collared doves, and they do have to feed their young as well so I don't mind them feeding.

    Very sad Salino to see a dead song thrush, they are such beautiful birds. 

  • DiggerSeanDiggerSean Posts: 52

    We feed the birds all year round, it's probably just as important to them now as in winter, to supplement the parents diet while feeding their young. I also love collared doves and we have alot round our area. We have alot of wood pigeons too, which I'm not so keen on, but we put up with them. If we feed them well at home they may stay away from the allotment image

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Always sad but it highlights the important role gardeners play in giving our lovely wildlife a helping hand. I'm afraid nature isn't for the faint hearted a lot of the time and we need to accept the bad bits with the good. Goes with the territory.

     

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • BookertooBookertoo Posts: 1,306

    A cuckoo?  Another bird that does this is the magpie, and possibly others of the crow family - such a pity after all the work the parent birds put into it all.  Still, that is nature, red in tooth and claw - not that birds have teeth, but ............

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