As the frosty veneer of winter melts away and the earth mellows for spring, you may notice little flurries of activity around your garden. Perhaps a robin is collecting leaves, or a song thrush is searching for a suitable place to settle.  

A small number of brave garden birds are already preparing for breeding, while others may even have started laying their eggs, flying in the face of their species’ normal nesting patterns. Early nesting is a risky move, but every year a daring few throw caution to the wind and get started well ahead of time.  

So, why take such a risk? Well, the earlier that birds start to breed, the more offspring they can produce in a season, meaning they can spread their genes far and wide. Typically, it will be older, more mature birds that attempt this tactic, as they have the necessary knowledge and experience to give them a fighting chance of overcoming the challenges it brings (last year’s hatchlings still have much to learn).  

Some species, however, nest early in the year as a matter of course. Rooks and carrion crows, for example, have eggs in the nest by mid-March. One reason for this is the early bird really does catch the worm; it is much easier to find earth worms in March when the soil is damp than later in the year when the ground becomes warmer and drier. Mistle thrushes adopt a similar strategy, and an added benefit for them is that predatory birds, such as jays, have not yet begun searching for eggs and young birds.  

The long-tailed tit is another early breeder. It is essential they get an early start as long-tailed tits are tasked with building what is perhaps the most labour-intensive nest in Britain. 

These tiny, industrious birds – sometimes called ‘flying teaspoons’ on account of their distinctive ‘lollipop stick’ tail that is bigger than their small, round body – create soft domes from thousands of pieces of moss, which they glue together with strands of sticky cobweb. Lichen fragments are then sprinkled on to create a protective camouflage, before the nest is lined with feathers for warmth. It takes around three weeks to build, but the end result is a comfortable, cosy home - the perfect place to start a family. 

The demands of building a nest, laying eggs and rearing young are enormous, and a bird must be in peak physical condition to succeed. You can give local birds a helping hand by providing them with protein-rich food such as dried mealworms. You can Help raise funds for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust by buying your bird food and accessories direct from Vine House Farm Bird Foods.