Small dilemma stopping observatory progress.

[Astroman]

Hi guys,

Need some help or some advice on something... For the past 4 weeks I have had a Black Bird sitting on a nest inside my Observatory. She gets off occasionally, but then returns. This is stopping me from laying concrete inside as I did not want to disturb the babies... From what I have read the mother should be incubating the eggs for only about 12-14 days then they hatch, but these haven't. Should I consider the eggs infertile and remove the nest?

I know I should have removed the nest in the beginning, but the thought of destroying something so awesome, wasn't going to happen...

Pics of the eggs and nest below...

[Kunama]

How many days has it been ????
I would give it up to 21 just in case.

[GrahamL]

what bird is it ?

[Hans Tucker]

How did she get into your observatory?

[Astroman]

Matt, it has been 4 weeks now.

Graham, it's a Common Black Bird (Turdus merula)

[Astroman]

Well to put the concrete in, I had to take the door off as it needs to be modified, so it got in after I took the door off... btw, no scopes in there atm.

[Kunama]

Sorry, but after 4 weeks I doubt you will get any chicks, I just checked my books and 14 days is about it.

[Astroman]

Yeah that is what we read also.

Should I just remove the nest and eggs?

[Tinderboxsky]

Yes, I would remove the entire nest and clean up the site. I would also remove any future new nest building work immediately. From my experience with these birds if they like the spot and feel secure, they will make it a permanent home.

Steve.

[Astroman]

Thanks for the input guys, pretty much what I thought, but just wanted to be sure I wasn't being cruel by removing it.

[bloodhound31]

How beautiful.

Blackbird observatory... hmmm.... got a nice ring to it?

[Astroman]

HAHA! Might be catchy if it didn't already have a name.

[astro_nutt]

I admire your patience in giving nature a chance.

[el_draco]

Its a bloody feral... exterminate

[acropolite]

100% agree with that, in addition they almost invariably carry fowl mites, which go roving once the nest is vacated, they can cause problems by getting in to your optics etc as well as getting on you, they're damn small and not easily detected but for the itch.

We had a nest in our house, the fowl mites managed to get out in to the house through a minute crack in the cornice and on one of the family members, once I knew what to look for I found the little buggers from one end of the house to another.

Block their access as well, that's what I had to do because as stated previously they'll keep coming back, I blocked their entrance with bird wire. For the first few days it was like there was a jackhammer going off in the roof, such was their determination to get back in.

[multiweb]

I see a nice omelette. Keep going with the obs. :thumbsup:

[Lee]

+1.... you need to birdproof the obs.... and flea bomb the place.... :)

[Astroman]

Hi guys,

Yes mainly kept it for the kids, and can see now that I should have removed it when I found it, at that time it had 2 eggs in it.. I will now make arrangements to have the observatory fumigated...

Thanks guys for your input.