Garden Birds

'Her Indoors' has a bit of a soft spot for our feathered friends. She feeds them during the winter and encourages them to nest on our patch by putting boxes up. I'm not sure I understand it. What do they do for her other than waking her up early at this time of year with their daily racket and eating their way through their own body weight in peanuts during cold snaps. Anyway, nesting is always a bit of a dodgy time for me. There was that unfortunate incident when 'Her Indoors' had been watching a pair of blackbirds who had nested close to the landing window. She had followed them through the nest building stage, laying eggs, hatching, right through to fledging, when one youngster happened to flutter out right under my paws. What was I supposed to do? 

Then there was my tragic encounter with a baby Blue Tit. Even 'Junior Her' was cross with me that time, although I think the term 'Blue Tit Murderer' was a bit strong. There was no intention to harm, it just happened. 

Then there was that business with the Mallards last year. I still check out the back border next to the house occasionally, just in case. Silly place to build a nest if you ask me. 

Still, it wasn't my fault this time. 'Her Indoors' was busy moving stuff into her new greenhouse, which 'Him Indoors' has finally finished, when she went to shift a half used bag of compost which was on top of a garden chair round the back of the garage. She opened it up to check on its state, and discovered a Robin's nest, complete with four eggs. I don't know who was more startled, 'Her Indoors' or the incubating mother. The Robin appears to have returned to the nest, and 'Her Indoors' has bought another bag of compost, so no harm done. It's just as well I wasn't close by otherwise I'm sure it would have been my fault. I notice I've been banned from going round the back of the garage now though. Honestly, 'Her Indoors' has got trust issues.....