Please advise.
On April 20 (just before Easter) we noticed a moorhen nest on the back of our boat, on the shelf between the outboard and the battery.
A moorhen nested on the boat a few years ago (this time on top of the fridge!) and the RSPB then advised us the eggs would take 21-23 days to hatch then the mother and chicks would leave the nest and go, which is what happened. 7 chicks survived and we blocked up the hatch they got in through. She is obviously a determined mother this moorhen and has come back again to nest as close as she could last time.
Since 20 April we have checked on the nest every few days without disturbing her.
We have seen: 7 eggs, then 3 chicks hatched, then one dead chick, then 4 abandoned eggs pushed out to the side of the nest.
We think something must have happened to the first chicks as she was suddenly sitting again on about 7 eggs.
The weeks have gone by and yesterday she is sitting on 12 eggs and the 4 abandoned eggs are still nearby.
Mr Moorhen is still presenting her with little sticks from time to time.
This has been going on for 60 days at least now, surely far too long?
Is she sitting on eggs that are never going to hatch?
Is she laying more eggs because they aren't hatching?
Will we ever be able to go out on our boat this summer?
Can we move the nest to the bank nearby?
Plase help.
You cant move the next- disturbing a nest is illegal
Hello Pope, hope this helps?
- Moorhens can lay up to 11 eggs, with one egg being laid a day, they are then incubated for 22 days by both adults. The young fledge at 35 days.
- There is a possibility that the eggs may have failed or were infertile.
- Possibly, if birds loose a brood, often they will attempt to breed again.
- Yes, of course. Moorhens have 2-3 broods a year.
- Whilst any wild bird's nest is 'active', so either being built, or has eggs or young in, it is fully protected by law (Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981) and cannot be moved or removed. It is a criminal offence to intentionally damage or destroy an active nest.
Claire