jackdaws and parsnips
18 April 2008 by colouritgreen
We found a jackdaw in our bedroom. Most odd. Not, that is, finding a jackdaw inside.. that has been a fairly regular occurrence in our lives, in our last house and this. The jackdaws build their nests on the chimney pots, and when the junior jackdaws start to take their first steps, they often fall down the chimney and arrive in a room with a lot of soot.
What’s odd is that, fed up with the sheer numbers we are dealing with (three last year) decided to put cages on the chimney pots whilst the roofer guy was there putting in the new lining for the wood burning stove. All of the pots are caged. And this jackdaw.. the one lurking in the corner of our bedroom, was no baby. In fact they are still nest building (I should know) and it’s too early for baby jackdaws.
We looked for ways in.. no open windows or doors, no holes in the ceilings. Most odd. Probably the cat. Yes a jackdaw is a large bird for a cat.. but I have seen him take out a magpie.. and they a much the same size. We shut ourselves in the room (and the cat out) and himself threw his jumper over the bird.. I opened the window.. we released it and off it flew.
How do I know so well that they are nest building? They are there, breaking twigs off the ash tree, and mostly onto my head, when I check the ewes-who-have-no-intention-of-lambing. Under the ash tree is their favourite place to lie. But more importantly.. they are pulling up my parsnips sown in toilet roll tubes. That experiment is officially over. I give up. If you don’t have a vast population of jackdaws in your area that go ahead, I’m sure it’s a winner.. but as they constantly pull mine up.. not for the parsnips.. they discard them, but for the cardboard.. presumably for nest building.. it is a complete waste of time.
All the effort sowing them, planting them carefully and hiding the rolls.. replanting the pulled up ones and then accepting defeat. Nope it’s direct sowing for me (but am experimenting with chitting them first….).
Now.. I wonder why we helped the jackdaw out of the window.. instead of knocking it on the head!
I sympathise - we have the same problem! And it’s verrry frustrating if you need to make a fire on a ‘parky’ late Spring night as there’s a danger you’ll cause a chimney fire (& I gather roast jackdaw isn’t a great meal anyway).
As for not-yet-lambed ewes, we’re STILL waiting for Allspice to do her stuff, ho-hum…..
yep - three weeks from due date.. two more weeks of possible.. and they really don’t appear pregnant at all. Which is depressing given that they represent 2/3s of my herd!
But nothing to be done now but wait it out and see. Hope allspice does not keep you waiting long!