Today was fairly mild, so I spent the afternoon in the garden sorting out some stuff. Firstly I needed to clear out the bird box from last year. When I first got it, I wasn’t sure if I needed to clear it out each year, or leave it alone. So I spoke to someone from the RSPB and they told me to clean out the old nest each year, and then disinfect the box. So this is what I’ve been doing once the birds have fledged and I’ve had 15 minutes spare. The nest that they’d made last year was about 4 inches tall, with a lovely little dip in the middle for the babies to grow. It was very compact and sturdy. It amazes me every time.

Such a perfect little home.

I looked at the bottom of the nest and it was all made of moss, which they must have got from my lawn as I have an area under the holly bush that it all moss and no lawn. When I looked closer, I saw some little eggs that had been pushed right to the bottom of the nest. They had 2 broods last year, and I thought that they got rid of the eggs that didn’t hatch, or ate them. Maybe they do, and she forgot about these few that were down the bottom. They were so tiny and small. It’s amazing that when the babies are born they fit into the egg. And they grow so quickly, about 3 weeks after they hatch they fledge!! The eggs are the size of the end of my little finger, which I put in shot so you could get some idea of the size.

Such tiny eggs, but perfectly formed.

Once I’d taken all the nesting out, I gave the box a good wash and now it’s ready for the birds when they come back in the spring. I also tidied the front garden of leaves, weeds, and rubbish that has blown in recently, and then tidied the back garden. There wasn’t much to do, just a quick going round to make sure everything is in order. I then planted out the rest of my white strawberry runners, or Pine berries. I didn’t get any fruit from them last year, but loads of runners, so this year I’ll cut off any runners and hopefully get loads of fruit. Well what a busy afternoon that was. It’s getting dark now so I’m stopping, but hopefully I can get in the greenhouse tomorrow as I’ve got things to do in there as well.