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Tuesday 2 April 2013

Timber frame house building in...

the Weald.
Look I know weather-boarded, timber framed
cottages are de riguer in this most
pretentious part of Kent...
however I was very surprised to discover the birds are getting
in on the act.

Over the last couple of weeks I've been delighted to see a thrush
or two in the garden.
Mostly the bully-britches blackbirds
have been giving them short-shrift.
They patrol the huge hedge with all the clout of
Roman soldiers strolling the ramparts of Hadrian's wall.

Today I was delighted to see a thrush on the bird table,
digging under one of the water bowls.
When I clean out the bowls, underneath there are wood lice and sometimes worms
which I thought were the source of interest.
On closer inspection I could see the thrush had been harvesting
splinters of wood; beakfuls were being taken further up the hedge
for a spot of, what I can only think, is a little light timber-framed
housing project? 


Work in progress


over many trips


Is this normal I wonder?




The hole where the wood was harvested


Any ideas?

11 comments:

  1. My guess is that he/she is lining the nest with them. Is the wood soft?
    Briony
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's fairly well rotted so I suppose it is soft, just hope, like Nilly says the babes don't get speared! I haven't seen her this morning so perhaps it was just the foundation!

      LLX

      Delete
  2. I agree with Briony. How lovely to see that garden birds have survived through the hard winter and are now building their nests as a herald of Spring and Summer.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The bird table so near to the house gives us endless enjoyment. In the cold of winter, I always feel for the birds in the long freezing nights, and let's face it we've had enough of those this year.

      LLX

      Delete
  3. What a mystery! I hope their fledglings don't get splinters in their little featherless bottoms.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Must confess that thought crossed my mind. Mother Nature knows best I suppose?

      Had to stop myself big time, from poking my trunk into the hedge to see what progress was being made later in the day!

      LLX

      Delete
  4. Perhaps the nest is finished but they're now building bookshelves?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was the arrival of the building inspector that really put the wind under my tail.

      LLX

      Delete
  5. Perhaps they've been sitting on your windowsill watching Grand Designs ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Could be... why hadn't I thought of that?

      LLX

      Delete
  6. No sign of thrush today, house building is on hold. SUrvival through another freezing day is the name of today's game.

    LLX

    ReplyDelete