Rottingdean allots: I rescued your blackbird!

[Two_Sheds]

I was walking through Rottingdean past their beautiful allotments, and noticed a blackbird trapped inside a fruit cage. I had to go in and free her, so if this is your allotment, you now know how the foot prints got there.

And BTW, you need to fix up the holes in your netting

[shirlthegirl43]

Well done Two_Sheds. I would have done likewise.

May I enquire as to the well-being of Darling the starling (or is that not a good idea?)

[Two_Sheds]

Yes Shirl, Darling the Starling is at his new home in the countryside, with a Crow and a Parrot for company. The vet said his beak is not fixable, so Miss Diane is spoiling him - she rescues allsorts, including some enormous Owls (which have been told firmly not to eat look at Darling, let alone entertain any ideas about eating him)

[lynda66]

awwwwww thats lovely, i'm sure he'll be very happy

[moggssue]

Well done Two-Sheds, your good deed for the week! So, anyone spotted her footprints yet??

[shirlthegirl43]

Yes Shirl, Darling the Starling is at his new home in the countryside, with a Crow and a Parrot for company. The vet said his beak is not fixable, so Miss Diane is spoiling him - she rescues allsorts, including some enormous Owls (which have been told firmly not to eat look at Darling, let alone entertain any ideas about eating him)

Superb. Are you able to go and visit or do you write/telephone/email or whatever for updates? Bet you are not missing the 'parcels' around the place

[Flummery]

It's easily done (the fruit cage thing). I rescued a blackie from next door's cage when they were on holiday. Also, when I was at my lottie a few days ago, I startled a young blackbird who had landed on my brassica cage. It jumped - visibly - and dislodged the netting at the top, and fell into the cage. I rescued it by removing the top but it had already smacked the growing tip out of one of my scarlet kale plants. The netting is now much more securely fastened!

[quark1]

Two Sheds - was that Rottingdean in East Sussex?

Just a couple of miles to the west of me!

I've been trying to locate where the alloments are on the google satellite map without success - the location as given by the allotments peeps is not clear - unless they are so plush as to resemble private gardens?

No point in even getting on the list as peeps have been waiting since 1998 in the worst case - and anyhow the lists are closed.

Good work in rescuing the little bird!

My latest project is incubating a blackbird egg which on of my cats had left as a tribute at the bottom of my steps. My sunlounge is so warm I have high hopes of getting it hatched - if not already damaged or unviable - but I'm gonne need a hellava lot of help/advice if it does to keep the hatchling going. Anyhow - we'll see.

[lynda66]

make sure you keep turning the egg, at least twice a day, or the chick could be deformed ...... i was reading about chicken eggs the other day

[quark1]

Yes Lynda - have been doing just that -a quarter of a turn each time I go to the sun lounge!

I already knew that birds' eggs had to be moved unlike those of tortoises which have to be marked with an 'x' and kept in position until hatched. Sadly my tortoise Sybil has no 'husband' these days as Basil was always too fond of doing 'naughty things' rather than eat (typical bloke!?) - we lost him during a hibernation some years back. Was alright just a couple of days before we lost him. Very sad loss - I'd love to adopt a new boy but they're impossible to get these days. Don't like the idea of getting one sent thru the post even from one of the licenced breeders - who'd want to be cooped up in a box for 24hrs - or perhaps longer? Maybe one day I'll be lucky enough to adopt one needing a good home.

[vanessa]

Hi Quark,

Just found a website where you can adopt a tortise if you are a member http://www.tortoisetrust.org/activities/adoption.htm

[lynda66]

Yes Lynda - have been doing just that -a quarter of a turn each time I go to the sun lounge!

.

hows the egg hatching going? or isn't it?

[quark1]

Looks like a non-starter - was worth a try though.

[lynda66]

awwwwwww shame, oh well definitely worth a try