bird nesting in bin (1 Viewer)

[tom3onl]

Hi all,
Im not really a bird watcher but i have a small problem.
I opened my bin earlier today and out flew a robin leaving its nest as you can see by the pics.
I want to know what to do,i dont want to disturb the nest,but my bin is obviously full.
How long does it take for the eggs hatch?and how long before the nest is redundant?
i can go a couple weeks without the bin its only my garden waste bin (just means i have a messy garden for a while 8-P )
Thanks
Tom

 

[joannec]

Hi Tom

It looks like a compost bin/garden waste bin in the picture. Surely you can leave the eggs to hatch and for the chicks to fledge. Incubation is 12-15 days for robins and the chicks leave the nest after about 2 more weeks......so about 4 weeks altogether....not long.

Keep us posted on their progress.

 

[tom3onl]

Hi joanne,
Thanks for your reply,i am now better informed.
I will leave them alone to let nature take its course.
I would like to keep an eye on their progress,
and would like to know if it is ok to lift the lid maybe once a day to look.
I have always believed that if you disturb a nest the mother leaves the eggs,is it safe for me to check as i mentioned above??? (without touching the nest or eggs)
Thanks
Tom

 

[dantheman]

If they are 'under your nose' as it were and used to you being in the area regularly, and approaching the nest area for other reasons then the robin will possibly not be so disturbed as if it was further away.... But one problem is real predators (cats/ magpies) observing you and then finding the location of the nest. Also I'm not sure a direct look is that good when the bird is sitting - the stress of being flushed can cause the bird to desert.

I'm interested to know how the robin gets in if the lid is closed normally? Is it dark in the bin??- I thought Robins weren't normally 'hole' nesters so just wondering . .

Robins are fairly well known for occasionally nesting in the strangest places...

And welcome to Birdforum!!

 

[KnockerNorton]

It's better not to disturb birds such as robins while they're nesting, so best not to lift the lid. You can cause several problems. First, when they're incubating, they can be kept off the nest too long and eggs chill. Around hatching, the same thing, and the birds are liable to desert if disturbed once a day. After the young are about 10 days old they will be very prone to 'exploding', which means they feel they have been discovered and will try to leave the nest early, fearing they will be eaten and are better off outside. They have little chance of surviving when this happens. Have a quick look once every 2-3 days, but not once the chicks are getting feathers. You can shine a torch inside to have a quick peek now and again, as this is safer than lifting the lid. But don't get too close once the young are big. When they are fully feathered, leave them alone until you are sure they have gone (around a week later).

 

[tom3onl]

Hi all.
In reply to dan ive posted a pic of how she gets in the bin,
The nest is circled.
It is just possible to see her if you go right up to the edge and peek through,
It is quite dark and difficult to see but i took a look today and she seemed ok with me looking.
It is in an area that is often walked past,the children have been resting their bikes against the bin also the past few weeks,so the robin is very tolerant of our noise.
I will keep you posted on future developments.
Thanks
Tom

 

[KnockerNorton]

Like I said, be VERY careful about disturbing them once the young are fully feathered - they WILL all jump out if you get too close.

 

[Merkaba]

Doesnt look like a robin to me....from that pic. And arent the eggs usually sky blue? Just my two cents

 

[joannec]

Like I said, be VERY careful about disturbing them once the young are fully feathered - they WILL all jump out if you get too close.

Absolutely agree with this Tom. Best not to look....could have dire consequences. Hopefully you will see fluffly, little robins hopping about with their parents.:-O

Doesnt look like a robin to me....from that pic. And arent the eggs usually sky blue? Just my two cents

It is a European Robin, Erithacus rubecula. I think you are thinking of the American Robin, Turdus migratoritus.

Joanne

 

[tom3onl]

Ok guys and girls,
I will for sure follow your advice and leave well alone as it would be quite rewarding to see the chicks
I expect it is a european robin as suggested as i live in holland.

 

[tom3onl]

Hi all,
Back with a couple of updates,
all but 1 of the eggs have now hatched,
she is very happy with me being around her so i decided to take some pics for you all to see.
Its been nice watching her look after them and seeing some good results :king:

 

[KnockerNorton]

Please don't do that any more! - not only are nest pics banned on Birdforum (to stop people distubring them at the nest), but if you do that much more then there is a very real chance that they'll desert (no matter how relaxed you think they are - they're wild birds), or the brood will fledge too early due to instinct. You've clearly opened the lid to take that pic, based on previous pics, and that really is a gross disturbance and totally unecessary.

If you open the lid when the young reach a critical stage then you'll find them jumping out all over the place. The female may be a bit habituated to people, but the young certainly wont be. For the sake of a few pcitures, you could effectively kill them.

Lecture over!