It wont be long before the seven Blue Tit chicks in this nest-box at the top of my garden will want to come out into the big wide world (any minute now in fact). Unfortunately, the Jackdaws are all too aware of this as well and are constantly hanging around up in the trees nearby. One or two of them have even tried sticking their heads into the hole to get a better look!They are very persistent and there can be up to a dozen or more of them just waiting for the moment the first chick ventures forth….like some sort of macabre feathery snack from a canteen vending machine!In an effort to thwart Lord Jack, the Alpha male, and his motley crew, I’ve been finding plenty to do in the garden….including sitting out there in the sunshine with the laptop to add a few odds and ends to my websites. I’ve also allowed the dog outside as much as he wants and my daughter has been doing some GCSE reviision out there as wellAll in all, between us, we’ve managed to keep the Jackdaws at bay….and the Magpies and Squirrels too, because they’re not to be trusted either!Once the chicks have fledged and have found their bearings, they’ll have a better chance, but I’ve seen it all too often before, small birds such as Blue Tits are just picked off one at a time….sometimes before they’ve even fully emerged from the exit hole!