Anyone who works a plot at Tredegar will have noticed a little Robin in close proximity waiting for any disturbance of the soil for a free meal. In the past three years the Robins have come to regard me as part of the wildlife and see me as no threat, I spent nearly every day last winter and spring observing a family of Foxes from a hide . I often found myself sharing the hide with at least one Robin and as many as four when the young birds left the nest.
I have placed over twenty nest boxes around the allotments over the three years, two especially for Robins and last spring a pair nested in the one beside my shed and raised two broods, one of four chicks and the second of three. The parent birds actually trusted me enough to feed them meal worms on the nest, this was an amazing experience and has resulted in many birds following me around the allotments knowing I always have a supply of meal worms in pocket. I have placed an additional three nest boxes around the allotments this winter and have already noticed Robins investigating them. They are very territorial and aggressive to each other even if related so all the boxes have been placed well apart, in all I estimate there are about eight Robins on the site, two have stayed as a pair since last summer I think these are the parent birds of last year as they do tolerate one other bird which I think was one of their young.
These are the two birds that follow me home and wait at my window to be fed in the morning, towards the end of spring last year two male Blackbirds began to cotton on to my supply of food and to feed from my hand,one turns up at my back door and will come in to the conservatory if the door is open.
Richard
Seeking shelter on a wet day.
One of the first
Poser
Tea time
Hovering for a second worm
Sad face or a mustache?
Nest box ?
Come and see me if you want to feed a Robin
No time to stop
Fish not on the menu
Singing for a mate
Sizing up lunch
Nice to meet you Leo
Watch the birdie
Flying through Red Campion