How late are/will birds nest?

[Box Brownie]

To my delight & surprise we saw a Moorhen nest building last week and it's (apparent) mate swimming nearby.

The nest cup looked quite advanced or it was perhaps a re-use of the same nest for another brood. NB it was seeing the bird carrying material that caught my attention and watched it climb the cup/mound and titivate the extra material into the rest.

It seems to me to be a late nesting but as the location is 'sheltered' and AFAIK there are no predatory fish.....if any fish, maybe not too late!

I hope to go again in about 10 days so perhaps there will be signs of laying/brooding........needing more visits to see the outcome?

Edit ~ I have now read that incubation is about 22 days and fledge at approx 35 days. That will take them into October

 

[AdamSi]

I am no expert but know some birds will have multiple broods in one season, this year being exceptional weather I would imagine quite a few have had a second/attempted a second brood?

 

[Box Brownie]

@AdamSi

Yes, multiple broods for sure......our garden Blackbirds had two broods in rapid succession and we think a third nearby/elsewhere after them. But all of that was many weeks back.

So as for Moorhens.......only time will tell?

 

[bumper]

I had a Blackbird on eggs last September. She had four broods, all on my stepladders in the garage! She got in through an open window in February and just kept going. Cost me a fortune in mealworms.

just looking at the feeders and there’s lots of fledgling goldfinches and greenfinches begging for food. They must’ve cashed in on the good weather and had 2 or 3 broods. Wood pigeons will have them all year round too, had them with chicks in our trees in the middle of winter.

 

[The Duke of Bork]

Yep, depends on species, some have only one brood a year, others several depending on location and weather. Woodpigeon for instance can breed pretty much any time of year.

 

[Dale.]

Species and conditions dependent, as well as a little luck.

Kingfishers will nest into October, if conditions are mild, although the risk of failure increases later in the year. I watched one pair last year that had 3 broods.

 

[Nod]

The Moorhens that nest on the ponds at the golf course had their 4th (I think) brood in late September.