It's a very busy time of year at Flatford Wildlife Garden, and there's plenty for visitors to see and enjoy! Just like BBC Springwatch, RSPB Flatford Wildlife Garden has its own 'nestcams' to keep us all up to date on the activities of the garden's many nesting birds. Thanks to RSPB volunteer Chris, there are now eight HD video feeds at various places across the site, peeking into the lives of Blue Tits, Robins, Wrens and more, and sharing these special moments from otherwise inaccessible areas to Flatford’s visitors.
During May, Blue Tits were the stars of the show, and visitors enjoyed watching them hatch, feed, grow and eventually fledge. More recently, it has been a family of Wrens that has caught everyone's attention. This unexpected nest was found in the folds of an RSPB gazebo! It was softly lined with moss, feathers and animal hair.
Male Wrens establish their territories during early spring. Each male uses moss and twigs to build a selection of domed nests for females to consider when they enter the male’s territory. If a female chooses a certain male’s nest, they will begin breeding once the nest has been lined. Nests are usually built in sheltered areas, so the gazebo in our relatively protected garden, with its dense foliage and trees, was ideal. Usually around 4-7 eggs are laid, hatching after approximately two weeks. Both parents feed the young, which will fledge a further 15-20 days later. Second broods into the summer months are common, and males often mate with more than one female.
After fledging can be a dangerous time for baby birds. The Wren parents continue to feed the young birds for a week or two after they leave the nest. Small terrestrial insects are a key element of the early diet of a baby Wren, and insects, including Moth larvae, Caterpillars, and Crane Fly larvae are the most common choices for parents to feed their young. Juvenile Wrens may be fed snail shells as a form of grit to aid digestion. During this time, the baby birds stay near to the nest and mainly on the ground as they develop their final flight feathers. The parents eventually abandon the young birds and let them fend for themselves.
European Wren Troglodytes troglodytes, juvenile perched on branch
Verity Hill (rspb-images.com)
A question that often comes up at this time of year is what to do if you find a baby bird in your garden that may seem to be in trouble? If you ever find a garden bird fledgling (fully feathered baby bird) on the ground, if they’re not sick or injured, they’re usually best left alone. The parents are usually nearby and you could actually do more harm than good by intervening. Further guidance from the RSPB can be found here.
Although it's too late for this season, you might like to think about putting a nest box for Wrens in your own garden. Wrens need a larger entrance than provided in standard nest boxes, of around 10-15cm. These open fronted nest boxes are also attractive to Robins, Pied Wagtails and Spotted Flycatchers. As well as giving a vital nest site, they also might provide a place for Wrens to roost on a cold winter's night. They might pack in together for extra warmth - did you know that 63 Wrens were once observed roosting in a single box?!
RSPB Flatford Wildlife Garden is open every day from 10:30-4:30. There's plenty to see at this time of year, so pop on down and get some inspiration for encouraging wildlife in your own garden this summer!