Trooper the blackbird

Dear Blog,

During late December 2011 two blackbirds began building a nest by a bush outside our family sun room. My mum was so excited when she spotted them darting back and forth with twigs, she really wanted to go outside and have a closer peek but didn't want to risk scaring off the birds, so for weeks she'd glance through the glass wall and inform us on any progress.

One day mum came to me with the biggest grin on her face, "I saw the mum sitting on the nest. I think she's laid the eggs now." When the mama bird had gone to feed my sister and I checked the nest and found three beautiful small blue speckled eggs. We tried to avoid walking by the nest so as not to threaten mama bird, but every now and then curiosity got the better of us and we'd quickly look into the nest when she was gone, waiting in anticipation for the eggs to hatch.

Eventually all three did hatch and we were thrilled. We didn't know too much about nesting birds so we all agreed not to go near the nest now that the babies were on the scene.

Early one morning at around 6.30AM my dad burst through my bedroom door looking for my hand mirror. I sluggishly got out of bed asking him what was wrong. I later found out, at 5.40AM my parents where in the kitchen and had heard some birds squawking and making a racket in the direction of our neighbours yard so they didn't think too much of it. At 6.20AM the same squawking started up again except this time right by our sun room. Dad checked through the window and saw mama blackbird flying after a magpie. It had already taken the second nestling. My mum started yelling at the magpie just as it came back for the remaining bird, luckily she gave it quite a scare and the magpie flew off. I checked the nest with the mirror and saw the bird hardly moving. It was a pretty chilly morning and we feared it wouldn't make it, but later I went back and to see its tiny pink body quivering to its heart beat. I can't express how happy and relieved I felt.

After that we each took turns bird watching everyday while mama blackbird sat on her nest or flew off to find food. I gave the nestling the nickname Trooper, having taken on an adult magpie at only five days old. Eventually Trooper grew up to be a strong and healthy fletching and left its nest without hesitation on January 17th. I'd like to think he/she is now an adult and living the lifestyle of a wild and free blackbird. I feel so grateful and privileged that Trooper and mama blackbird came into our lives, even just for the few short weeks.