Not about sparrows this time. :D

I took some photographs today just to prove that I have actually been doing some gardening over the past few months!

 Our resident duck

The apple tree ~ its first year. 

I don't really like those perennial cornflowers.  They were already there and I intended removing them until I saw a pair of goldfinches return to them time and time again for the seeds.  

Bob peering through the front gate, one of his favourite past-times

Benji participating in his second favourite past-time, sleeping.  His first is eating.  Hubby's in the photo too.  Can you see him?

Always blessed with fairies!

There are strawberries in there somewhere!

Bob being handsome

Bob being extra-handsome!

Come on in

Look, hubby's managed to get himself in the picture again!

It took a long time for me to settle in this house, but I'm glad to say that it now feels like home and we're happier here than ever.

p.s. I didn't take any photographs out the back because the grass needs cut! :O)


p.p.s.  Couldn't resist a small update.  Saturday, 23rd July ~ eating well and gaining strength

Update on baby sparrow

Well, so far so good.  First of all, I understand everyone's concern about not interfering with nature.  I believe in leaving baby birds for their parents to care for, but....... (there's always a but!)....... in this case, this little nestling was too young to be out of the nest and I thought that, even if its parents did find it and continue to feed it on the ground, it was too fragile to survive the drop in temperature through the night without the body heat of its siblings.  So I've got it in a little box filled with lots of pieces of ripped up kitchen roll, and the box is on top of a hot water bottle.  I've been feeding it every half-hour (since 4.30 a.m.!) and I'm glad to say that its feeding well and seems to be a strong little thing.  I found this website with lots of good advice on caring for baby birds.  I realise that if it does survive its ordeal and gets stronger, it will be totally dependent on me for another two to three weeks.  I really hope that it's not too long before we're releasing it back into the wild where it belongs.

What to do? Urgent advice needed please!

It's happened again.  Yet another nestling has fallen out the nest from under the eaves of the roof.  Luckily it is still alive, as we created a softer landing stage for them and amazingly it worked.  I spotted the tiny bird shuffling about amongst the grass and cuttings.  Now what to do?  I'm in a quandry.  I googled caring for nestlings that have fallen out their nest and some people say that you should make a makeshift nest in a box and tie iton a tree or somewhere near to the nest, so that the parents will know it is there and continue to feed it.  But what if the parents don't see it?  What if they're too busy feeding the ones in the nest to notice the missing one?

I've already given it a tiny drop of water and sugar, placed on the outside of its beak and it accepted that.  I have baby food I can feed it too.  I know it would need feeding ever half-an-hour up until dark and then from sunrise in the morning.  No easy task, but I'm prepared to do it if I have to.  So what do I do...... place it in a box directly under the nest and risk the parents not finding it..... or do I try my best to care for it myself?  Any advice would be gratefully welcome.

I don't understand......

I don't understand why house sparrows have to nest so high up.  They're nesting under the eaves of our roof and on most days, I find a dead or badly injured baby bird on the ground below.  As a fledgling cannot yet fly properly, the first venture from the nest is going to be fatal when the nest is situated at such a height.  Why do they do it?  I'm getting so upset and angry that it's happening.  I feel like buying a few kiddie's trampolines and placing them directly below where the nests are..... or breaking up the concrete path with a mallet, getting rid of it and replacing it with grass to cushion their fall.  Hubby said when the nesting season is over, he'll seal up the space so they can't nest there next Spring...... till then, there's going to be some more fatalities. :(  Does anyone have a rough idea when we would be safe to do this?

Hoping to be back soon.....

Hello everyone,
Sorry about my prolonged absence.  We've been having some family concerns which has laid me a bit low.... then my internet connection went down.  I'm waiting to be fixed up with a new subscriber, so it shouldn't be too long now.  I'm making some progress with the garden as we've been having some lovely weather over the past few weeks.  Looking forward to getting back with you all and catching up with all your news.
Lesley xxx