Blackbird in the garden

[Barmaid]

I've noticed a pair of blackbirds in the garden over the last few days. Just stood out there and the female swooped down onto a tray of basil and rosemary plants that I am growing on, watched her dig around in the bottom and then fly into a hole in a clematis over the fence where she clearly has a nest. The monster problem is that I have four cats.

So 1) what food can I put down (at a height) to tempt her away from my plants (she's wrecked 4 of them the little monkey). Why on earth has she focused on rosemary and basil?!
2) How do I keep her and her young protected from 4 cats (I will get them all bells later, but at least one knows how to move without actually ringing his bell). What can I put on the trees overhanging the clematis to stop the cats going up there?
3) How long before the babies hatch? If I know what timescale we are looking at, I can police it a bit more rigorously?

[redman41]

Egg incubation takes about 14 days and then the young fledge in a further 14 days after hatching. Good luck Babysitting !! lol

[Barmaid]

I am absolutely determined that the parents or the young will not become kitty cat food! I have got to find some way of fencing my "veg" area off from the cats seeing as she seems to think it is her personal buffet!

[redman41]

Had similar problem myself when I last had a Cat Barmaid ! I know it's a Cat's normal instincts but the little birds are so vulnerable ....

[Barmaid]

It's difficult isn't it? I love my cats to death but I hate it when they bring a bird home. If I catch one of them "stalking" in the garden, they get warned off (a hose or a clap of the hands works well). I'm really worried about this lady though because she is so tame. I just got within a foot of her and she wasn't bothered at all and she is quite happy hopping around on the ground in my veg area. So I am trying to attract some worms and slugs to the surface so I can put them in a tree next to her nest in the hope she stays off the ground. If she stays in the area near her nest I think it is fairly cat proof now.

[wildwood]

I think she may have babies already, judging by the way she digs. Blackbirds especially are very adept at digging at edges of concrete paths and newly planted plants, knowing that the soil is easily turned over and because of the moisture at those places, know that worms are often present there.

There is going to be a big problem when the young ones leave the nest as they are often unable to fly yet and spend a few days on the ground under hiding places.

A 12" wide scrap piece of tin/iron around the tree trunk 6' high will prevent the cats from climbing higher.
Cats will be on the lookout for the babies to leave though. Cats are not silly and they know.