Robin’s Nest
The weather yesterday was wonderful here in Lincoln. It was far too hot to get anything done in the garden but it was perfect for sitting under the canopy, watching the world go by.
Which is what I did for most of the day!
Robin’s Nest In The Ivy
As I sat looking around the garden, thinking of all the things that needed doing, and feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all if I’m honest, I heard a strange sound. It sounded like very loud crickets or something similar. It was coming from the fence where we had attacked the ivy a couple of weeks ago.
We knew there was a bird’s nest high up because we’d seen the sparrows collecting stuff to make it so we kept clear of that area.
We didn’t, however, know that a robin had made her nest very low down in the ivy. It turned out, the noise was the babies, calling for food every time their mother went near.
I was delighted and quickly took some pictures. I sat and watched the mother bird going to and fro, feeding her babies and I thought how lucky we were to have this wonderful thing happening in our garden.
I worried, though, that because we’d cut the ivy, we’d opened the nest up to predators and my concerns were to be confirmed when I went to check on them this morning.
The nest is empty. I couldn’t help but cry. It’s my fault these four, beautiful little birds are dead. If only I’d listened to Ant when he said we should wait a while to cut the ivy, they’d be safe in their nest now.
I feel so guilty and will never, ever, touch that ivy in spring again.
I thought we were safe cutting low down because I never thought a bird would make its nest that low.
I have a lot to learn about gardening and wildlife and this was one hard lesson to take :'(