Blackbirds

I had thought a couple of blackbirds were going to take over last year's nest in our Rowan tree. But they've been eyeing it up for other purposes entirely. I think it probably belonged to sparrows last year from the size of it. The workmanship was so good I was reluctant to remove it when I pruned the tree at the beginning of winter. I'm trying to keep it about 7 or 8 feet tall as we don't want it overshadowing the house.

It turns out the blackbirds wanted it for nesting material and it has gradually disappeared over Easter. I suppose that is the ultimate in recycling and it reminded me of all the 16th century villages dotted about the country which have been built out of the ruins Henry VIII left behind following the dissolution. Nature obviously jumped on the recycling band wagon ages before humans thought of it.