"When We Feather Our Nest"*

Exciting but dangerous times in Birdland. Friday 13th was unlucky for a tweety bird in the front hedge this morning, I saw a sparrowhawk swipe it. :(

It was lovely to see the male and female blackcaps gorging themselves on a swarm of midges amongst the cherry blossom on the banks of the lake. Even though it was cool and dull the birds were singing their spring songs with gusto.

As I walked into our former car park I heard the familiar, "Zepp, zepp" of long-tailed-tits. I stood and watched them with beaks full of lichen. Then one disappeared into the tangle of honeysuckle and brambles. I could just see the nest. It is a fully-formed barrel which they have constructed from moss, with cobwebs for anchoring and stretchiness. There's a hole in the top and they're currently covering the outside with lichen. When that is done they'll line the inside with more than 1,500 feathers. A nest that I found last year was wrecked by crows or magpies. Let's hope this one escapes the attention of predators.

*The George Formby song that I started singing when I found the nest. :)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBBZJr7z1CI