How to go Veggie? Click this link
In the attic.....
Artwork by Mark Sach ~ go here to see more of his work
Shortly after moving into our new house, we could hear noises coming from above the bedroom..... like scratching. The most activity occurs very early in the morning, but I hear it at other times too. At first I could only guess as to what was making the noises. Rats? Squirrels? One weekend, I treated myself to a lie-in, book in hand and cup of tea on the bedside table that I'd made asked hubby to make me. As I was reading, I kept noticing birds flying to and fro outside the bedroom window - some were perched on the telephone lines and others were flying to and from our roof. They were Starlings and I wondered if they were our mystery lodgers. It was confirmed that they were when hubby saw one go in one of the air vent tiles on the roof. They're very posh Starlings as we had the attic insulated last week, so you could say they're living in a giant carpeted nestbox. We don't mind them lodging in our attic, in fact they were no doubt here before we were...... but I'm wondering just how early they'll wake us up in the mornings when Spring arrives!
Oh Lesley, this is one bird ou do NOT want around! I know how you love all your beasties, but starlings are nasty barbaric birds, as I learned after my experiences last summer. In case you didn'
ReplyDeletet see that post:
http://ethelmaepotterweneverforgother.blogspot.com/2010/06/nesting.html
I wish you luck, whether you decide to let them stay or evict them. They're awfully hard to get rid of!
Hi Lesley,
ReplyDeleteJust caught up on your last couple of postings. Some Starlings have nested in the fascia of the property opposite at the rear of ours but it is used as an office and not a dwelling. I have followed their progress for about 3 years now and have not noticed anything out of the ordinary with these birds. They nest in the spring and come down to the garden to feed for a few months then slowly disperse with the odd bird reappearing at various times during the reat of the year. They don't seem to cause ant problems or cause any further damage that i have seen over this time. I enjoy seeing them when they are aroundand dont have a problem with Starlings personally. If you have soffits and fascias on your new property they might be residing in there only, this does not mean they are in the loft itself. Someone would have to go up there to check.
That artwork by Mark Sach is lush, i must check out his work further.
Things seem to be progressing nicely in the garden i see.
Hi Lesley, I hope your little residents don't make a nuisance of themselves or a mess and wake you up too early.
ReplyDeleteStarlings are an introduced species here and are a pest, they raid the nests of other small native birds killing the chicks and take over the nest... I hope that yours will be content to just stay in your attic.
I really love the painting by Marc Sach, it reminds me of the colours and pattern of a William Morris illustration for fabric and wallpaper. :) xoxoxo ♡
Hi Ethelmae :) Yes, I do remember the post about your nesting Starlings. Thanks for your warning....... but, well you guessed it, our Starlings will be staying put.
ReplyDeleteHi John , I wondered about whether they would be going in some kind of cavity, such as soffits or fascias so I decided to have a look up there myself. (poking around in attics is right up my street) As is usual in our house, the ladders were at the back of the shed behind all hubby's bootsale stuff..... so he had to lift me up until I could pull myself up a little through the loft door. This was a difficult and dangerous task for him, as he's only 8 1/2 stone and I'm 10 stone! I managed to have a quick glimpse while my head was poking through the loft door and I could see the vents on the roof with no guards on them.... daylight was shining through, so it looks like the birds are in the attic after all. However, after my pleading, hubby retrieved the ladders and I'm going to have a good look up there tomorrow (Sunday). It actually looks nice and cosy and I'm tempted to spend some 'me' time up there with the birds. :O) Let's just hope I don't come through the ceiling!
Hi Dianne . :) Now that you mention it, yes... Marc Sach's painting does look like something William Morris would have done. I didn't see it at first, but your artistic nature would have spotted it right away.... definitely Morris colours and it would make fantastic wallpaper!
Lesley, they should clear off in the spring.....they are entertaining birds and will soon be mimicking your mobile ring tone. Change it from time to time. That saves much hunting for the phone to no good purpose.
ReplyDeleteLol Adrian. Yes, I've heard the peculiar noises they are apt to make. :) I don't have a mobile 'phone though, so that problem wont arise... it's not so long ago we got a colour telly! :O)
ReplyDeleteThat picture of the Starlings and Dandelions is absolutely gorgeous-I will have to visit his website and have a look at his other artwork. thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAs for your little feathered lodgers, I know how you must feel about them - I could never evict the mice or box-elder bugs from our current home, as much as I know I should.
Lol Deedee, will you be taking them with you to the new garden? :O)
ReplyDelete