A Remade Nest An odd succession of blackbird to thrush
has been watched in a Cheltenham garden. A thrush hatched. out a flourishing brood from a nest built in a buddleia bush close to the house. The young were seen enjoying themselves in the garden towards the end of April. On May 3rd a curious tapping noise was heard, like a woodpecker at work on wood ; the sound was finally traced to the thrush's nest. A blackbird was very busy pecking away the hard mud-lining which all thrushes insist upon. When after many days of labour the mud was pecked away, the hen blackbird lined the nek with
bents after the method of her tribe, and in turn brought off a successful brood. I can parallel one feature of this curious story from my own experience this year. A robin after hatching one brood began to pull out all the lining of the nest almost as soon as the young had flown, and did the job with great thoroughness before relining it completely, and starting a second clutch, which was duly hatched. The blackbirds of course had a much harder job. Their beaks are not hard and the lining usually is. Nor is it usual for any bird to occupy another's nest, though I have seen old thrushes' nests occupied by wrens, and by bumble bees !
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