Two years ago we provided lodgings for barn owls and their two chicks and black redstarts and their four chicks. The barn owls nested in one of the chimneys and the redstarts in the redundant satellite dish on the balcony. Harry rigged up a webcam on the redstart chicks, which provided us with hours of entertainment, especially when there were four of them contending for space in the little nest, then watching the relief at having more space as each of them flew off.
Last year we were disappointed that neither owls nor redstarts took up residence, but this year both are back. We often see the adult owls flying around or hear their screech or become aware of them quietly gliding from our roof over to the trees or other rooftops. Just like a couple of years ago, we would hear a sort of screeching complaining sound when we were in the garden late in the evening and we decided that there was an owl's nest with hungry chicks nearby. Then, just about three weeks ago I worked out that the noises weren't coming from the neighbours, but from our same chimney again. Now when you go out and peer up at the chimney, there are two little Ollie Beaks staring down at you!
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed an adult owl high on the top of a big cherry tree which is lit up by a street light. The owl and I had a staring match for a good quarter of an hour, and I spoilt things by opening a window and scaring it off. Just now we had another bit of a stare with the owl perched high up in the same place. We've also seen them perched on next-door's chimney with a tasty morsel, ready to give to the babies in our chimney. (And there he or she goes now, giving a bit of a screech somewhere nearby.)
As for the redstarts quite a few weeks ago now they started off with a nest in the empty garage next to us, flying in through a crack in one of the broken window panes. Then we saw the parents regularly in our garden and flying in and out of our woodstore which backs onto the neighbour's garden. We thought this was maybe a short-cut to the garage, then last week I noticed bits of dry grass hanging out of an orange corrugated plastic tube, which Harry had put on a long old ladder which is suspended from the corrugated metal roof inside the woodstore. It looks a bit precarious, but sure enough there have been chirping noises coming from the tube, and that is where the redstarts are nesting.
They seemed to be getting used to us as we are often working or sitting in the garden, then today I noticed both mum or dad being very noisy with a blackbird-like warning call and flying and sitting very close to wherever I went in the garden. Then tonight - lo and behold! - we see a little fluffy chick perched on the balcony railings and trying to fly into our window. The window was closed and probably looked quite dark from the outside, so confusing for a little chick new to the world. After a few attempts, it was rescued and put on the right track by one of the parents. Another chick then appeared and there seemed to be quite a lot of flying lessons. We were a bit concerned that the chicks would be back under cover before the owls arrived, but hopefully the parent redstarts know what they are doing!
So, when all the chicks have flown, life will be a bit quieter, but there's still the other bird wildlife, plus the little dark red squirrel that occasionally dices with the traffic on the road, and of course the bats that we see and can track on the bat detector now on loan from friends. Other entertainment is provided during the day by numerous lizards, but thank goodness, the large grass snake hasn't put in an appearance this year.
© Marie Tyler, 2014.
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