Watty's Awakening

Cherryfudge

A few years ago a neighbour rescued a nest of blackbirds from inside a tractor. Someone had lifted the nest out and put it on a wall where it was no safer. He raised the birds in a large cage out of doors, and all grew and fledged. Although he tried to keep them as wild as possible, before releasing them he marked the beaks with a tiny spot of bright colour so he could see how they fared. We saw them around the neighbourhood for some time. So they can survive a rocky start! They can even survive me taking care of them for a few days. I think with the threat to blackbirds from this mosquito-borne sickness in the south of England, it would be extra special if 'your' nest survives, so it's probably all to the good that you came across them and put some protection in place.

Swifts don't nest at ours but they are a delight. Lucky you! Perhaps a swift box could go near where they nest so next time they don't plunge the box into darkness? I know you might have moved by then, but they could well be back.

I love watching the birds though I don't know a lot about them. One of the blessings of lockdown was setting up a bird table near the house, where we now get all sorts of visitors (not MSE as they won't eat cheap fat balls so I have to get them the good stuff!)

Oh, and here's one for your list of possible properties: 5 bedroom detached house for sale in Bullamoor Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6

Debsnewbudget

Its lovely to watch the birds nesting and feeding.  Blackbirds are notorious for building nests in daft unsafe places though.
 

skint_spice

Watching the birds sounds lovely and restful despite their poor housing choices!

dawnybabes

One of my neighbours has popped a swift box on his house, it’s bright orange - at first I thought it was a strange air con unit so asked him 🤣🤣🤣

Cherryfudge

dawnybabes said:

One of my neighbours has popped a swift box on his house, it’s bright orange - at first I thought it was a strange air con unit so asked him 🤣🤣🤣

Perhaps it's for Easyjet flights?  

Slinky

That's a very odd place for swifts to nest! They're normally in holes in walls, under roof tiles or in swift boxes. We've been trying to attract them to our boxes for the past 5 years by playing screaming swift calls, as they like to nest in colonies. We thought we were going to be lucky this year as last summer we had juvenile swifts visiting the boxes, looking for somewhere to nest in the future. At the start of May we had a couple of visits on consecutive nights, one tapping on a box, but nothing since, so it looks like the search for our bird tenants continues.

Watty1

Too many bedrooms there @Cherryfudge   I'm refining my criteria, I don't want to be cleaning too much, and there is the two of us and we need a spare room and I desire a dressing room (so three small bedrooms is fine, or, a two bedroom with a nice big walk in wardrobe).   And land wise I'm thinking 3 acres is my minimum, but I would prefer more.   Found something nice on Bodmin Moor the other day but it was snapped up quickly as I suspected it would be.

Just looking is fun though   Thank you for posting links.

Peeped round corner and blackbirds doing well.  (I knew nothing about the sickness, just googled it, so many sad threats to nature now that I'm glad the little trio are doing well)

daisy_1571

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/17090187/

In the middle of nowhere, 6 acres, ignore the house thats there and build your own wooden kit house o/o 255  😀 

Cherryfudge

I agree the one I posted is a bit of the large side! Love Daisy's one, though I'd like to see photos in winter. The horses would get plenty of exercise there. I like your attitude @daisy_1571: 'Ignore the house that's there'...

Good to hear the blackbirds are still with you and doing okay, Watty.  

Have a blessed day.  

greenbee

daisy_1571 said:

https://www.onthemarket.com/details/17090187/

In the middle of nowhere, 6 acres, ignore the house thats there and build your own wooden kit house o/o 255  😀 

I think the EPC must assume that's what you'd do 🤣