ROBIN NEST

Hi all

Around 10 days ago I found a birds nest in my van, hidden up on the parcel shelf at the front of the van 

I have very big dogs and my van door is open or ajar 99.99% of the time all year round, on occasions I have found a bird in there in the winter. Who can blame it with all the cosy dog beds to snuggle in to.

Every day since Tuesday when I get in the van a Robin appears.  

I actually drove to the shop with her in here as she didn't show until I was on the motorway.

I have just come to use it again today and the Robin flew out. I haven't touched her nest but just checked and there are a min of 3 eggs . I only moved it about an inch max to peer over and in.

I thought they would have aborted the nest if there is too much action around it but I leave the van door ajar and she is there every time

I don't know what to do... I can cope with the bird poop everywhere but I worry about them once they hatch if that is likely?

Many thanks in advance 

Clair

  • I would like to add that I live in a highly populated bird garden with a real mix and a couple of Robins that share the one particular part of the 4 acres. (Around half an acre you see more than 1 at one time)

    Hawks, magpies, blackbirds, starlings, blue tits to name just a few
  • Hi Clair, oh dear what a dilemma to have. You drove to the shop with the Robin on the nest in the van, I wonder who got the biggest fright! The rule is that from when nesting starts we are not to touch or interfere with them. If the Robin has been trusting, I assume that is why she came back and laid the eggs, your only option is to not go into or use the van at all, if she is going to continue to use the van and rear the young. If you move the nest she will almost certainly abandon it. Good luck, let us know the outcome.
  • Thank you so much Cathy,

    Regrettably it is the only vehicle I have and I will not use it unless necessary. But if I need to go to the vet if one of the dogs are poorly I will have no choice. So fingers crossed for that to not happen. I don't know how to attach pics but I think I'll have to make some sort of hammock for when they can leave the nest because otherwise they could fall and die. Yes surprised to say the least. I have gone to put my dogs in and found her sitting on my 75k dog! Nice to know she feels safe enough to come back each time
  • Sorry it changed your name to Cathy. Apologies
  • Well hopefully the dogs keep well over the next few weeks. If the nest survives the mother will feed the young and when it is time for them to fledge, I am sure they will follow her out. She seems pretty happy with the dogs and yourself about, she may well keep the nest. To add photos do the following.

    From your last post, hit use rich formatting, opposite the word reply.
    Scroll down until you come to the white box where you will add photos and text.
    You will see a row of symbols, pick the one that looks like a wee TV screen.
    You will then see an option to pick where you have your photos stored (you have to have them stored on the device you are using.
    Pick which photo you want and it should load in the box, you may see two boxes with numbers in them, depending on how big you want the photos to come out depends on the numbers shown there. Normally folk change the first box to 500/600 and leave the second box blank. I have an older iPad and do not get this option, so once the photo is picked that is what posts.
    You can add text above or below the photos, leave a gap between them so they are easier to see.
    When you are finished hit post.

    Good luck.

  • Thank you so much for your help, as you may be able to work out it is quite high and quite a drop and I read that although they can leave they can't actually fly?

    I feel so blessed to be a part of this (even though from afar now) I hope she feels its still a safe place,.albeit rather odd.. not quite sure how they will get out of that very tight dipped space but fingers crossed

    Again, many thanks!
  • Fingers crossed all will be well, it is up high and a drop to the ground (seat or floor) if you think of nest boxes up trees, the manage out of those. Off to sleep, it is far to late to be still here!