Des Res
Posted By Judith on 16th April 2018
We have 3 wheelie bins. Black for general refuse, grey for recycling (but not glass, I have to walk down to the village recycling point with bottles etc.) and green for garden waste. On the whole a very efficient staggered fortnightly service.
But regular readers will know that due to recent cut backs by the council the green bin collection has been scaled back during the winter months, leaving me in a position where I was still trying to dispose of my October hedge trimmings in March.
Happily fortnightly collections have now resumed and last week I filled my green bin with the last ‘Autumn fall-out’. I was eager to see the back of it and crammed as much in as I could resulting in the lid not closing properly by about 2″ to 3″.
About a week later I was walking down the drive when I thought I saw a small bird fly out of the green bin. Surely I was mistaken, but no, when I opened it there on top of all the hedge trimmings was a perfectly formed birds nest.
I was immediately filled with various emotions which, in no particular order were surprise at seeing a nest built in my bin; pleasure at being able to see one of natures works of art at close quarters; wonder that a small bird with no formal training could construct such a beautiful and intricate structure; indecision as to what I should do and finally terrible guilt when I realised I was going to have to remove it.
Doing nothing just wasn’t an option. I wouldn’t be able to use my bin for even longer and I couldn’t see how a brood could be raised successfully in an accessible bin without attracting the attention of the local cat population.
I looked to see if there was anywhere I could sensibly relocate it in the same area, but there wasn’t, so I just placed it on top of the hedge in the hope that the little bird could perhaps recycle some of his building material.
I have no idea what kind of bird had made this tiny work of art, but if the antics of a nearby robin were any indication it could well have been him/her. I felt very guilty, and he was very cross, but we would both have felt a lot worse if the eggs had already been laid.
I will never again leave my wheelie bin with the lid partly open, I think both me and the robin dodged a bullet on this occasion. I’m afraid he will have to build his des res elsewhere.
