02 May 2001

Well, May Day has come and gone. It didn't seem to bother the birds. So far I've little to report on my two shelf nesters. Both the blackbird and the robin are still sitting, with some to-ing and fro-ing for food, diversion and fresh air. They don't seem to be upset by us going into the garage but we do go easy. It makes a difference having these birds instead of the magpie I had a couple of years ago. He was a sorry sight. He obviously had some difference of opinion with some of his colleagues, so they set about him in a big way. Any time they spotted him they gave chase and as good as nearly killed him. Eventually he took refuge in my garage. Remember the half roof. The magpie I think is a very clever bird. He is not as bird-brained as he is bird. My fellow, once he discovered a safe haven made himself at home on one of the shelves. He could have been there for some time before I noticed him. But one day he blinked and that was what brought him to my attention. You know the way you spot things like that out of the corner of your eye. Like when you spot a spider traipsing across the floor while you are watching television. He used to go out for food but almost always wound up being chased again by his enemies. He used to come racing for the garage with the other two in hot pursuit. He would come in at just the right height and when level with the break in the roof he would suddenly drop by a few inches so that he continued his flight under the roof while the other two continued over it. At this point I am certain that he would breath a sigh of relief and think what dummies the other guys were.