torgwen's posterous

Blackbird in my car.

I set off to go somewhere today. I had enough time to get there with about 15 minutes spare and I decided not to take the dog.

Half a mile along the road I saw a female blackbird sitting with head upright in the middle of the opposite carriageway. "Oh no, she's alive!" I had to get to her before a car coming the other way ran her down.  I pulled in and there were a few cars coming up behind me and overtaking. I could see the next car coming towards me, I had to get across the road. The last car behind me went past and I did a U turn to face the other way, went as far as the blackbird and stopped with my emergency lights on. I got out and went to look at her. She looked alert but hadn't flapped her wings at all. I got a plastic bag and large piece of paper (the sort you get at a service station for checking your oil) and went over and picked her up. She didn't struggle. I put her in a plastic measuring jug with her heaad poking out. Now what? "I'll put her in the shed." I turned round and went home. I prepared the shed with a box, some water and some seeds and went to get her. When I opened the door she flew out of the jug and was now flying in the car. This had become difficult. I saw some blood on the top of her back when her wings were open. I had one attempt to get a tea towel over her then decided that trying to catch a bird in a car would really stress her out and as she was now alert and flying I would let her out.  My opinion was that she had a superficial cut and was shocked. I opened the door. She flew out towards the south then turned back and soared up over the roof of the house towards the west and away from the road. As with so many wild life incidents I will never know if she's ok.

Lincolnshire and New Birds.

Since I moved I've kept a keen eye on my garden to see what birds are around. There are two parts, front and back so I've put a feeder at the front so I can procrastinate while looking at the computer and some fat balls and suet block at the back.

Immediately I could see the common UK birds, blackbirds, robin, wren, bluetit, great-tit, dunnock, though not many tits. Long tailed tits have made their fleeting visits and I've seen a chaffinch but not recently. The main visitors are sparrows, loads of them!  Recently starlings have been on the feeder along with the sparrows. They munched away on the suet block and demolished it quickly so I put up a second one. More starlings came and with much flapping and calling so I withdrew the block for a while. Now there's another one up and only 4 or 5 of them visit at one time.

 The first surprise I had was a chicken. Kids from nearby houses were keeping an eye on it "It's in your garden now!" It spent quite a lot of time in my garden and surprisingly was there for a week on and off. I was expecting it to have vanished due to predators. Neighbours and I tried to find an owner but nearby likely places said it wasn't theirs. In the end a neighbour caught it in my garden - by this time it was "my" chicken as it had been around so long - and I took it to a friend near Lincoln who has plenty of chickens and other birds.

The second surprise was a great spotted woodpecker as I hadn't expected to see one around here. It investigated a tree and I saw it another time on the fat balls.

The most recent garden visitor has been a pheasant who I've seen three times. However it's not been around for a couple of days. I hear gunshots around here and always wonder what they've shot. There are plenty of rabbits around as well as pheasants.

 

Moving house. Contents on the grass. £££'s. Four fiddles and four pianos.

I've done a house swap from S Wales to Lincolnshire. That means you move on the same day as the person you swap with. To make it more complicated it was a three way swap. Lets just say there were three types involved in this. Type one had boxes stacked up in March when I went to view her house. Type two worked at a normal speed. Type three couldn't believe it was going to really happen as no-one signed until the last minute and had nothing packed a week before. No guesses necessary which type I am.

I started looking for boxes and could only find one or two at each visit to the supermarket. The more I packed, the more there was to pack. The house was an ever-giving box with things sprouting out of every corner and cupboard. I didn't get final confirmation from the removal company until the week before but I was pleased with myself for finding one much cheaper than Ms Organised. Finally there was the last minute panic and I bought more bags and went to Asda three times for more boxes. I stayed up until after 5am and up early waiting for the van to arrive. It was here! Andy looked round all the rooms. "There's more than you said so we can't take it unless you give us another £450." WHAT? No chance. I said I would pay £200 extra and he spoke to the woman in the office. I spoke to the woman in the office. She said she was going on what Andy said and that was that. I spoke to Andy and said I would pay £450 extra. He said he would speak to the woman in the office and then they got in the van and drove off! I rang the woman in the office. Answerphone.

Now what? I went online and looked up removal vans in S Wales and started ringing and applying for moves. I rang Ms Organised and she got me the number of the firm she was using. He turned up and asked what I was paying for the job then said that was far too little for that distance. He said he would do it for £1,200. WHAT? No way at all (I thought). The only way to do it was to first remove all my contents, then put hers into the house, then load mine. £1,200 CASH!? I had some cash already to be used for the first van. There was no way of getting hundreds of £'s of cash on Saturday so I said I could only pay him on Monday. He said he would take one of the pianos to make sure I paid, "the good one". I said that would then cost me to take the piano, could he take violins instead. He said "how many", I said "I've got four". He said "I'll take all four and you can have them back when you pay me." I didn't give him the violin I play (the fifth one), the fiddles would have probably got him £600 if sold privately but less at auction which he mentioned.

He took the four fiddles. My sons helped too, saving him man power and time. All my house contents were placed out on the grass next to the house. Lucky I didn't live on a main road, it couldn't have been done. There was no secrecy to this move, it was a big shout out to the neighbours. The shouty neighbour came to talk to me. "You moving Fran?". I introduced him to his new neighbour. The removal firm had already done a job picking up two pianos from Bristol so at one point there were four pianos out there (will add pic when get one from son).

As time was getting on they said they would deliver the contents the next day. Luckily I was able to find B&B in a place I've stayed before rather than go to a completely empty house.

Sunday at 8am they brought the van round and I had finally moved. It's got a big garden, plenty of room for me to put some Weird Trees.

Monday I had to drive 50 minutes away to pay and to arrange an overdraft which luckily they let me have. I think the company made a few quid on that. I am severely out of pocket. What a farce!

 

"Freedom" to work for less than minimum wage? Equal pay?

As Simon Perry ( https://twitter.com/Simon_Perry ) has thrown himself open to discuss that people should have "freedom" to take less than the minimum wage, I thought I'd join in. Firstly, it's impossible already for some people to live on the minimum wage.

For example, a person on minimum wage of 2011-12 rate of £5.93 an hour working 30 hours would earn £177.90 per week. Less tax & National Insurance contribution leaves £141.93.

How would this be spent? Here's a possiblity:

  £    p (weekly) 

  70.00 rent

  13.85 Council Tax *

  16.00 gas & electricity

   6.00 phone

   3.00 TV licence

  15.00 travel to work **

    2.00 work clothes

125.85  Total

So the net income of £141.93 minus £125.85 leaves £16.08 

Hang on, what about FOOD?! What about other living expenses and unexpected contingencies that happen every day? What about a social life? Some rents or mortgages will be more and some Council Tax bills higher.

*Council Tax if paying half the "national average" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7511700/Council-tax-bills-to-cost-the-...

** Assumes no car and lives nearby.

This example is using the minimum wage, clearly to add any more expense leaves the person in debt.

Women have fought hard for equal pay for years and are more likely to be on a low income. Here's one example http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8032750.stm Should we make a mockery of lower paid women's effort to improve their standard of living by making it ok to work for less?

Equal Pay Day is November 4th 2011 http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=23

 "@Simon_Perry 
@endless_psych If I offer someone £4/hour, and you offer them no
work at all, why am I the arsehole? Who positively affects their income?"

If by offering them £4 per hour you are not giving them the ability to survive without getting into debt then you are no better than someone paying £0. You are encouraging a situation where they live permanently on the breadline or below it in a downward spiral of debt and this can in no way be perceived as "freedom".

If a person presently claiming ESA (Employment & Support Allowance) takes a £4 an hour job and it doesn't last the ESA claimant will have many hoops to jump through to get back where they started. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13217824

At least with voluntary work there is no illusion about pay.

Suggesting that the vulnerable unemployed or disadvantaged who are already stigmatised should work for less than the minimum wage only serves to keep "the underclass" in its place. We should not be supporting that, but looking for ways to really improve self esteem (which does not have to involve being paid)  and ensure income in this country means quality of life and not debt.

 

 

Stalwarts of S Wales folk scene at Tredegar House Folk Festival today.

 Tredegar House Folk Festival has been going for a number of years, it's near Newport in S Wales.  On the years I have made it there these are likely  characters to find around the place.  Tredegar House has been a  http://www.doctorwholocations.net/locations/tredegarhouse  and  has massive gardens with big trees and a lake.  And grass.  Ducks.  It's  going to be leased to the National Trust instead of the Council but the public (that's us) will still have free access to the gardens (I've never been inside).  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-13562579

   

Procrastination, this is how to do it.

Mr. Bullfinch  keeping an eye out for Mrs. Bullfinch who is on the ground. I should be doing some work on this computer. It will take about an hour. I've been sat here for two hours and not even started. So, what have I done to prolong this agony of the Unfinished? Well first off there's the coffees. Slurpy slurpy slurp (that's three cups). Then eating was essential so what was in the kitchen that would be quick and easy? A chocolate chip muffin that I forgot I'd got - mmmm, healthy breakfast. Then there's my blackbird family - two parents and two fledglings. They are out there right now and are a fantastic distraction. Then I have to take photos of them. Like now! Just got a couple of good ones as they're on the ground close to the window, will add later, can't now as I've got work to do. The sparrows are pretty distracting too as there are a few sparrowlets wobbling their wings for food and they're noisy so can get me to look easily. Then the dog wants to go out, must go with her to check no fledglings are vulnerable. Mr. Blackbird seems to have just discovered that the green apple is just as sweet and juicy as the red one and is pecking like crazy, feeding the fledgling too. The other fledgling is sipping water.

Of course Twitter is a great thing and takes ages to read through if you look at a few links, so I have. I've been thinking too, got things to plan for work next week so contemplating them is essential.  Fledgling now chasing after sparrow. Other one in cherry tree. I must clean a camera hole in the filthy window. Maybe I should move the computer to a dingy corner with no light and punish myself into working with an unpleasant environment.?  A robin just flitted through the garden, none of them have hung around since the weather warmed up. I say warmed but I'm cold as the top bit of window is open. I might need to get extra clothing and god knows what distractions await upstairs.Made it to bedroom with only the toilet (all those coffees) as an aside. Have made a coffee to help warm me up, buzz buzz, jitter jitter.

Right, just put photos on to computer as I will post them here. Dog wants to go out, brb. Door to garden now open, no birds on the ground as dog thinks about her next move.

Enough! Going to do the work.  Just after uploading the photos. No wait! With the door open I can get a decent shot of the blackbirds. This is what it's all about for them (top and bottom photos).

Sparrows everywhere!

Mrs. B still has sore foot but it's improving and she's putting it on the ground more. Two fledglings together. Mrs. Bullfinch. Mr. B decides the green apples are GOOD.

May pics. - bridge, balls & birds feast.

I took a bit of the bridge with me again this week. Well it costs £5.70 .

Slovenly person left rubbish in Cardiff & birds feast on it. Newport has two new big round watery balls. Abergavenny - sculpture.

Happy birds in the garden.

I watched my garden birds a lot yesterday and apart from the blackbirds there were fledgling sparrows in a gang fluttering their wings with open beaks all day. Two collared doves often pop down to mop up any ground seeds and I had a treat as a bullfinch couple visited for some ground feeding. I only usually see them when the snow's around and then it's on the bushes.

 

My window is dirty to help stop birds flying into it so photos are usually rubbish. I hope you enjoy the happy bird pics.

Fran May 9th, 2011

 

May 31st, 2011

New bird pics taken this week. The blackbird   fledglings last seen on 27th May but had been out of garden a lot. Baby blue-tits and great-tits have been in the tree and the bluetit has let me get too close (ie I could be a predator!). Thanks to @Thisangelbites for making me do this tonight as it might have got put off! The baby blue-tits are much more yellow than parent (who is the scraggy, knackered looking one ).  There has been a bullfinch pair and another male bullfinch spending ages eating seeds and from the feeder. Before  I've only seen  them flitting through  and only stopping for a few seconds.  Maybe food shortage?

 

 

Blackbirds, fledglings and a black cat.

I spent quite a lot of time yesterday keeping an eye out for the two fledgling blackbirds in my garden. There's a large conifer and the blackbirds have been using it for their young for a few years but I haven't paid as much attention as this year. When the tree was much smaller I saw the nest with babies in and another year saw two fledglings hiding in bushes. I was watching out for the fledglings because about a week ago I found two dead baby blackbirds under the tree. I put this down to a black cat that I have seen in the tree before and saw it climbing across from the fence to the tree a couple of days later and rushed outside shouting “cat!” to the dog. That day I hacked off the bottom branches of the tree thinking the birds would be able to see the cat better and wouldn't be able to sit around in the danger zone. A couple of days later I spotted two fledglings bouncing around under bushes and in the grass. I was really pleased with this, two had survived. Apparently blackbirds lay three to five eggs. The R.S.P.B. website says “There are considerable losses at the egg and chick stage, with at best 30-40% of nests producing fledged young”. I make occasional notes about unusual bird activity in the garden and on 26^th January, 2011 wrote “Six blackbirds in weird tree at once.” On 31^st January, 2011 I wrote “Ten blackbirds in garden”, so it seems blackbirds do well around here While snow was on the ground this winter one female blackbird fiercely defended her territory, seeing off all other blackbirds in the cold snow and ice. I've seen her around for a year or so and took photos of her flicking bits of earth in a pile to get insects. She's the mother of these birds.

It's no joke being a blackbird parent. Both female and her partner were feeding these two fledglings. The female has a hurt foot, standing on one leg most of the time and only delicately putting the other foot down occasionally. Three evenings ago I saw the male in a tree and a magpie was having a go at him, getting one of his feathers. Feeling sorry for the female with her foot I bought some apples and cut one up two nights ago and yesterday I saw both parents eating it. The two fledglings were all over the garden and one of them became the first bird I've seen actually getting in to the water for a wash. The sparrows are mostly there and all other birds have stood on the side for a drink or splash their tail feathers or heads.

Looking on a few websites for solutions to the “keep cats out of my garden” problem there are some interesting solutions apart from the obvious getting dogs, larger cats and spraying with water (I rarely see the cat and have no chance of getting near enough quick enough for this). There's lion dung, moth balls, things that look like snakes and orange peel, lemon quarters, Coleus Canina plant, bottles of water and pepper. This site has interesting personal experience  http://www.webmesh.co.uk/cats.htm.

Now for this morning. After keeping an eye out for cats yesterday and keeping the dog inside more than normal as the two fledglings explored and were fed by both parents, I eagerly looked out of the window when I got up. I could see a dark shape lying still on the brown needles under the conifer. It was one of the fledglings.

I haven't seen Mrs. Blackbird this morning. A male sang for a short while on top of the conifer. I haven't seen the other fledgling but thought I heard the “cluck cluck” of a blackbird in a bush. Fuck cats.

Fran 9/5/2011

Update: Where do you buy moth balls?! I've never bought any. I asked in a couple of shops and ended up getting some green gell stuff called Scent Off from the pound shop and a lemon which I will partly use for cooking. When I got home I saw the father blackbird  and he flew off low level so hopefully the other fledgling is alive, though I haven't seen it.. It poured down an hour ago, raining cats (yes!) and dogs with some thunder and lightening.  I hope  *that* cat got a good soaking, piss wet through, wet wet wet, scared and dripping wet with its fur all soggy.

Double update: There are still two fledglings in the garden! There must have been three yesterday, I did think I saw three briefly but then dismissed one as the mother. They are being much more careful today though, yesterday they were all over the garden nearly all day.

Update May 22nd, 2011.

The two fledglings are doing well and are being fed by Mr. Blackbird. Mrs. B still has a poorly foot which she holds up against her body and sometimes puts it lightly on the ground and doesn't seem to be doing any of the feeding. All four were in the garden yesterday so still going round as a family though the fledglings are not always together any more. Yesterday Mrs. B was standing by the dead fledgling for a few minutes. I don't know how much they know; she might have been standing there because she recognised the shape and waited to see if if needed feeding, or maybe they mourn? If so there must be many unhappy birds around. The fledglings now peck at apples themselves and fly faster and are more alert.

May 23rd, 2011

It's all happening here today, Mrs. B is now using both feet and has decided to move house! She's been collecting bits on and off all day. I'm not sure why today as it's been gusty wind and rainy, maybe less predators around to spot her. She's moving two doors down by the look of it, a good move out of my tree but I think one of the cats lives in that garden. It's very overgrown where she's going, hope she's made a good choice. Pics added below.

 May 23rd - Photos of fledglings, Mr. B and Mrs. B  collecting nest material.

The Royal Wedding stole my car.

Not so much stole my car as kept it from me. I've been driving it around with loud knocking coming from the engine for over a week as my garage was full what with all these bank holidays and people wanting to get away in the fine weather. Finally I got it into the garage on Tuesday and they are stripping the engine down to see if they can save it or whether it will need a new engine. When I say new, I mean reconditioned. I asked how much that would be and the proprietor, George, said £1,400 plus VAT plus labour. WHAT? I could buy another car for that. With mine in bits it's worth nothing to me until back on the road. It's recently had two new tyres and the MOT and insurance are due soon. In an attempt to be clever about this I asked George what he would do if it was his car. After a hum and a ha he said he would be tempted to strip it down and see if it could be saved. Will they be working on it today? They will (bad pun) not, it's the bloody royal wedding. Then Monday we will all be dancing round a maypole or something.

This has had a serious affect on my income this week which will be £5, the worst ever week. This won't go far towards anything.

Anyway, this royal wedding. The mass rose coloured spectacle wearing has begun. Perfectly logical, thinking people have gone all slushy and sloppy like wide-eyed dogs. I can understand going to a friend's wedding as support for them and I like a party if I know some of the people. What I don't understand is how easily large masses get swept along in a sea of fantasy and how involved they get with people they don't know. Why would you want a street party? Many of us don't know our neighbours or wouldn't want to party with them. I'm all for communities getting together but not under the Union Flag and not because a member of the royal family is getting married and especially if Cameron encourages it. I don't want this expensive family representing and costing me.

It concerns me a lot that people who need to be working or need to be sorting out important things in their lives are being side-tracked, delayed and distracted by the wedding. If there's going to be any celebration or extra bank holiday I would love to see a nationwide festival that celebrates diversity and is about all of us, not one that focuses on flouncing strangers.

Fran 29-4-2011

Update:

I just had a shower and came downstairs to find a pool of water with drips spashing in it from the ceiling. If this was a normal Friday I might have got someone to look at it but now it will probably be Tuesday at the earliest.