Happily Ever After
Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running
Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.
A Martin, But No Marten
by admin - 20:32 on 23 May 2013
Snow on the hills, cancelled ferries and less than a month until the longest day. But summer must be just around the corner – swallows have been glimpsed in the vicinity of The Rural Retreat, and today I got my first close look at a house martin.
Unfortunately, I got the close look because the luckless bird was gripped tightly in the jaws of a growling Pandora, huddled into the furthest corner beneath the dining table.
A few prods with one of Matchgirl's walking sticks (for hills, not infirmity) encouraged The Tabby Terror to break cover and allow me to pick her up, at which point I realised her victim was alive. Stern words did nothing to make her drop the martin so I resorted to a few good shakes while avoiding indignant claws.
That did the trick, and the martin flew away apparently uninjured. No other birds were harmed today, although Pandora took great interest in two pheasants until the male stared her into submission. The cowardly moggy only picks on creatures smaller than she is.
The Fearless Ones have grown a lot in the last few months. Once upon a time they could both fit in the rocking chair with room to spare...
...Now Willow fills the seat on her own.
I'm pleased to report that, despite Pandora's best efforts, there's still lots of avian activity in the garden and proof that, somewhere, small beaks are being filled. Let's hope they're beyond the reach of prowling pusses.
Marten Update: Still no daylight sightings. A brace of Mystery Moggies probably doesn't help.
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