Saturday 10 July 2010

A bit early for the Poetry Bus.

Dominic Rivron is driving the bus this week and suggests we write a poem on something. Yes, I thought when I read that, of course we'll write it on something. Then the penny dropped - actually write it ON something. That's my offering above.

The little dark smudge at the centre top of this golden privet is a blackbird sitting on her nest. My husband has recently been reducing the height of the shrubs in the front garden. He was working away with the hedge trimmer when a hen blackbird flew out from almost beneath the blade, exposing her nest with eggs in it. He stopped work immediately and fortunately she returned and has hatched the eggs. He must already have cut over the nest on his previous pass with the trimmer. We didn't like to try to place any covering over the nest in case we put her off returning so the poor thing has had to sit out in full sun for days. Fortunately blackbirds seem to like sunbathing. To compensate for his disturbance and Mrs.Blackbird's trauma, my husband has kept Mr. Blackbird supplied with mealworms for him and his family. The bird has stuffed his beak with them and taken them back to the nest with amazing regularity. He looks as if he has a walrus moustache when he flies off. I should think his babies will be overweight and unable to take off for flight when the time comes. We now have a shrub with a very strange 'step' in it - the next cut would have sliced right under the nest.

25 comments:

Carol Q said...

LOL - your sense of humour shines through as usual Heather! It's lovely when we can help nature along isn't it. I hope we get some more birds in our nesting box having had one family hatch now. It was lovely

Totalfeckineejit said...

Beautifully done and very funny!

Just one question do you have fab feet, or fat feet, or both?

Heather said...

TFE - sadly the word is fat, but they still work and carry me about.

Robin Mac said...

What a laugh Heather - I love your poem. The blackbirds were very lucky in their choice of a nesting place - many others would not have been so careful to leave the nest alone, let alone provide meals for the family! Cheers, Robin

Unknown said...

Lovce this Heather, and I am sure a lot of us can sympathise.
phew, the blackbirds had a lucky escape

Dominic Rivron said...

Good one! Who said modern poetry lacked soul? :)

Ann Christy said...

Love the 'shoe' poem Heather and so glad that the blackbird managed to get sit on her eggs despite her lack of shade! What a narrow escape she had. Phew!!

izzy said...

Oh my, fat baby birds! We had a Robin who built a nest up over our garage door- in spite of her worries and concerns ( noise, dogs, people,) she raised a solitary -very round- offspring . I miss watching that
youngster...thanks.

Lyn said...

Lets hope it's not too long before they fly the nest and you can get the hedge finished. Blackbirds are lovely to listen to I am sure you will be rewarded with some beautiful bird song as a thankyou!
Love
Lyn
xxx

The Bug said...

That's a great bus entry - and echoes my feet's feelings about shoes too. Sigh :)

Helen said...

Your feet and mine have much in common! Loved this.

Gwil W said...

A work of genius!

What's it say on the other shoes?

Do you wear them to go out? I think you should.

This could be the start of a whole new trend in footwear.

Unknown said...

Witty, short and oh so very neat.
(I too would like a pair of jimmy choos but due to ankle problems can't)

Rachel Fox said...

I wouldn't recognise a Jimmy Choo if it kicked me in the backside! And I too read the fat as fab...
x

Jinksy said...

Poetic feet?! How appropriate! :)

Domestic Oub said...

Great stuff :) And my shoes heartily concur!

Gina said...

I love your poem Heather. I had heels on all day yesterday so my poor feet are going barefoot today to make up for it!

Peter Goulding said...

Like Rachel, I've no idea what Jimmy Choo's are but I'm sure they're not a patch on poetry-adorned footwear.

Argent said...

Love the fun in this. My feet are of the same variety.

sharon young said...

Love the poem, Heather, I have the same problem, as someone remarked at the bus stop the other day, a child of the 60's with the bunions to prove it :-(
We have the blackbirds nesting the hedge, too gives my DH a good excuse not to cut it!

Karen said...

He, he, he! Mine, too. Unfortunately.

Dr. Jeanne Iris said...

FABulous!

Kat Mortensen said...

Jimmy Choos are over-rated. What fun!

Val said...

Love your poem Heather - and the pix are just wonderful. Our blackbird wakes us up each morning tapping on the window for currants!

BT said...

Phew, thank goodness he stopped in time. I once pulled some ivy off a bank and there was a robin's nest behind it. I'm not sure whether she continued to use it and I felt guilty afterwards. A lovely post.