Nests - NOT amateur radio

We have (at least) 2 birds nesting. A robin has decided to build a nest in a nest-box (see above) I installed last year. There is also activity in our loft, which may be a blackbird's nest. I suspect there are also nests in our hedges. We see lots of blackbirds and robins.

UPDATE 1900z: Although there are swifts and cuckoos about near here, I have not managed to see any in April.

Blackbirds - NOT amateur radio

Every other Tuesday I have been going in to Cambridge on the service bus to my U3A course on Polar Studies at the Scott Polar Institute. As the speaker today was commanded to go to the Economic Forum in Davos, we had a different speaker at short notice: he was very good.

On the way in, I just relax and count the bird species I see. Usually it is between 8 and 12 different species, although in total I have seen many more.

What struck me today was the vast number of blackbirds. They were everywhere. I am not sure why there seem to be so many: are the marking territory or seeking mates?

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/b/blackbird/. The image on the LHS is on the RSPB site.

There are some waxwings in Cambridge. These birds come from Scandinavia and are quite rare most winters. I have yet to see one. They are often seen eating berries in supermarket car parks.