Kestrel wrote in
:

On Sun, 10 Apr 2011 11:55:50 +0100, "john brook"
wrote:

Was Just about to chop down a badly positioned Leylandii type tree in
the garden and discovered that's where a blackbird is bringing a
mouthful of worms to every few minutes.

I want to start work on the tree; but i dont want to keep peering into
the nest and worry them.

How long roughly should I wait before the nest is likely to be cleared
of the babies and I can check them?


I'm not sure where you are since you posted to uk.rec and rec but in
North America it's a felony to disturb or destroy migratory birds'
nests. You should wait until well after nesting/mating season to cut
down that tree (well into autumn or winter).

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migrato...ty_Act_of_1918

(Apparently in effect in Great Britain as well)

I give you much credit for noticing the birds in the tree and not
cutting down and destroying a bird's home and offspring. They'll be
gone soon enough. Deal with the tree in the fall or winter. Every year
I see many people cutting down trees in the middle of nesting season
giving little thought to the possibility that there may be nests with
eggs or nestlings somewhere in the tree. I really upsets me.

FYI birds are not as fragile as some people think. They may fly away
when you get too close but they are not likely to abandon a nest. I
had a pair of birds build a nest in a planter on my deck last year and
nothing I did kept them away from it. If I got too close they simply
flew away to a safe distance and heckled me until I left, then
promptly resumed sitting on the nest/feeding/etc.

Your blackbirds will most probably have another go when the present lot
have flown. Maybe a third.
To answer your question. You ought to wait until autumn to be safe.
I was out in the garden this morning levelling a bit of ground.
The blackbirds were there, picking out a few worms, but if I didn't make
any fast moves they came as close to me as is not imaginable. Almost to my
boots. Did they mistake my laces for worms? I don't know but they are
daring and as bold as brass.
You could employ a cat, and it is perfectly legal(only joking, but true!)
for some profound reason.

Baz