This mystery nester has built a nest in one of my fuschia plants on my potting table outside my back door - a rather busy thoroughfare. This morning I noticed that my fuschias were looking a little droopy and was about to water them and noticed a beady eye observing me from the rear of the table. I did water them very quietly and showly without staring at the bird and there was not so much as a flicker from the nester. It could be a Grey Shrike-Thrush but the tail is very stubby and short and the top of the beak and shorter than the bottom one. I will attempt to upload some snaps and would be appreciative of an identification.
hmmm Dot I am not sure what is wrong as you have posted the right coding? It might be that imageshack isn't compatible?
Here are the links though if people want to have a look at the photos
http://img42.imageshack.us/i/imgp4092b.jpg/
http://img195.imageshack.us/i/imgp4094u.jpg
http://img808.imageshack.us/i/imgp4095.jpg
I am wondering if it is a Blackbird?
I would say she has had some sort of accident and her beak was damaged.
The nest looks very like a shrike thrush nest, and immature shrike thrushes have stubby tails.
Here is my picture of a shrike thrush nest;
The blackbird nest is similar but built with a lot of mud as well as twigs and grass.
shrike thrushes often nest near houses or in sheds.
I think it's blackbird.
Blackbird (female) in nest
Blackbird eggs
I have 3 blackbird nests in my backyard.
Bryan
Yes, could well be a blackbird, as the nest is close to the ground. Its funny the two species have such similar nests.
Thank you all for your speedy responses - I will await the arrival of eggs for confirmation - I'm starting to think that it may be a blackbird after all. The image from BryanTan certainly looks similar. Thank you
Looks very much like a European Blackbird Turdus merula. When asking for help it would also be good to describe the area you are living in. Eg suburbia, near forests or so, perhaps even the city/suburb will give clues and enable folks a better understanding so they can help you better. :) It would be unlikely that a GST would nest so close to a house unless they are used to you and you are in an area that adjoins suitable habitat.
I have friends in Silverdale (near Penrith NSW) who recently had a Yellow-faced Honeyeater, and now a Grey Shrike-thrush nesting in a pot plant on their front porch. Mind you they also have tons of other bush birds on their property including nesting Brown Goshawks in the front yard! :)
Windhover,
Our neighbour has a pair of fledgling GST in a pine tree that is hard up against thier front porch. The neighbour has a sheep farm and keeps the dogs nearby. Not where we would have expected to find them.