So, the week that was….
An abundance of plums, there are thousands on this tree.
Each day they litter the ground.
A day was spent showing hubs colleagues, from the Philippines, around Liverpool.
Obviously we had to take them on a ferry across the Mersey.
We all got to enjoy Brazilica…
where many a tail feather was shaken!
I got to see my cousins playing live….they really are a hot little band. The JJohns!
Standard roses were purchased at rock bottom prices and brought back from the dead.
I’ve been gazing at my tomatoes, unbloomingbelievable…worst year ever!
And…I got absolutely drenched while watering the garden today as my hosepipe developed a momentous leak, right in the middle! Now I’m in urgent need of a new one as it’s been so dry. So I’ve been looking at buying some sort of outdoor water pump to try to increase the pressure and hopefully make watering the gardens during this dry spell a little easier.
Today, I released three herrings gulls. I took them down to the beach as the tide was coming in. I put both crates down and was horrified when a freak wave hit and one crate floated off, complete with two herring gulls. I quickly waded in after them and thankfully all was well!
They all flew perfectly and effortlessly graced the skies once again. To my surprise, the people on the prom who were watching, cheered and clapped. Those birds have to be the only herring gulls that have been applauded in the world, by the public…just for flying!
I then went on to release a moorhen chick. It was a good age and size and had recovered beautifully from an injured leg. As it was swimming off, an adult moorhen homed in on it, and to my horror, repeatedly tried to drown it. Our chick eventually hid in a drainage pipe on the canal, but the moorhen then attacked it in there. The poor creature managed to escape once again, only to be finally drowned.
I was utterly stunned. It was truly monstrous and depressing to witness. I’ve never experienced behaviour like this before. The moorhen in question only had one chick, and that was older than ours. Now we have to rethink when, and where we release these birds.
How utterly horrible!
This is a first for me. I’ve never lost an animal while releasing it….maybe I should have done a little more research, now I have….shame on me!
And Finally…..
I went into the front garden to feed Curly Cat yesterday, and spotted a juvenile wood pigeon sitting by his feeding quarters. No place for a chick, so I walked behind it trying to move it on. No way was it going to fly, so I caught it and took it to the garden next door. As I did, I noticed it was gaping so I quickly put it down. Five minutes later it was dead. I was utterly baffled, so looked in it’s beak. These birds often come into the rescue with canker, which results in them starving as they can’t swallow food. The poor bird’s beak was filled with blood, so obviously it had suffered some sort of trauma/blow. If only I had caught it and took it to the rescue instead….two dead in two days! Must be losing my touch! Not great! AT. ALL.
What a sad end to your post, you look after so many creatures it must be so hard when things like that happen, but you do so much for so many others.
Ahhhh, thanks Annie. It is so awful to lose a creature like that, especially as it beat all the odds even surviving the initial injury it had.xxx
Ah, my dear. I’m sorry the downs have given you heartache when I know you take such care for all the creatures. But you still rescue some — even roses. I think standards are among the most difficult to keep alive since their graft seems so far from their roots. But you’ve done marvelously! What will you do with that surfeit of plums?
I was sure I’d read and commented here, but it must’ve been in my imagination, so I apologize for the lateness!
I certainly learnt something so that won’t happen again. I am surprised those roses have come on so well, the second flush is really lovely and the pollinators love them!
I passed the plums onto my neighbour where they returned as pie! Win, win!
No need to apologize….ever!!!xxx
What a week, Dina! Hopefully you’re able to focus on the highlights and not dwell on the bad stuff. I can’t believe you have ripe plums already! My plum tree has no fruit again this year and the little tree at the allotment still has green fruit. The tomatoes are also woefully behind, only just coming in to flower which I’ll add to last year’s tale of tomato woe when they all got blight before ripening! Wishing you a lovely week ahead, Caro x
You do have to concentrate on the positive don’t you? I was horrified and felt so guilty but at least learnt something. None of the wildlife staff have heard of such a thing…
I always seem to do well with plums, not so much with pears. I think most tomato growers are in the same boat, that cool spring is the culprit. The plants got off to a bad start, here’s to next year eh?xxx
My goodness – a week of highs and lows, for sure. Great news about the gulls, but obviously sad news about the moorhen. They are aggressive birds – they do very well on our pond (there are at least two broods each year) and they will attack anything else if they can – including killing ducklings. They always seem to angrily chase each other around, too. You definitely won’t have lost your touch – it’s just nature in the raw.
I had no idea moorhens were aggressive, even when we had the narrowboat I never witnessed such behaviour, but now I’ve done a little research I have to say I’m shocked! At least I learnt something, shame I didn’t know. I do pity ducklings around them, they seem quite expect at drowning birds! Thanks Wendy.xxx
It was good for me to read this today. I just lost a pigeon yesterday. He had taken up residence on my balcony after being injured — a broken beak, and not just broken but terribly misshapen. The top portion pointed to the sky, and the bottom pointed down, as well as being halfway shoved into his “chin.” I suspect he’d flown into a window, or gotten into a tussle with another pigeon.
In any event, he couldn’t eat, and slowly, over a week, simply starved. I couldn’t catch him, as he was a strong flier to the end, and I couldn’t find a rescue that would take him. The good news, if any, is that he had a safe place to end his life, water to drink, and no terrible end at the paws of the feral cats. Still…..
I took him to a local nature center last night, and laid him to rest well away from human pathways, in a lovely little grassy glen. Oh, what a horror it was. But it’s part of the price we pay for paying attention — and who would want to stop noticing and caring for the world?
Oh, what a story, a horror indeed! I do feel for you, how sad you must have been watching that poor guy all week, but as you say, he was safe and had water and that certainly is something, Ahhh, how compassionate you are. I’m glad you took him somewhere beautiful to lie, you cared and you respected him and his life and did everything you possibly could. I often wonder why innocent animals and people have to suffer so…..yes, noticing and caring often come with a heavy price tag. xxx
I love plums. Plum jams, plum tarts, plum cake. On a more somber note, so sorry that you had such horrible experiences.
Oh…I love plums too, especially plum jam. I made lots last year and used honey instead of sugar, lovely it was. Thanks Jason.xxx
You do lots of great work with your animals. Watching animal kingdom nature can be very raw, as you have seen, especially so, after you nursed your charges to health. As you say, some you win….
It makes me think what man does to man.
It was truly delightful to see your guests having so much fun and the pics are very joyous.
What an abundance of fruit. Damsons are delicious as a fruit to eat and they make a super jam.
There are some odd things happening to plants; you almost have to ask what is in the air? There was some discussion about composts, I wonder if that’s been resolved yet. Shame about your tomatoes. xxx
Thanks Menhir, yes, nature can be cruel and at times makes little sense, I’m sure there is a good reason for the moorhens behavior, animals at least react honestly, what man does to man sickens and depresses me, we all have free will and know exactly what we are doing.
It was lovely showing the guys around Liverpool, they are only here for six months and are trying to see as much of the UK as they can.
I think you’re right about compost, much of it is poor these days as bark is often added from local council recycling. I think the cool spring was the killer, the seeds germinated late and have never caught up. Each year is different I suppose.xxx
First of all I don’t think for one moment that you are losing your touch…..rather I believe you have just had two unfortunate learning curves…..and who was to know?? I certainly wouldn’t have had a clue…..focus your mind on the positive and the people applauding the successful release….I would have applauded as well:)
I happen to love people from the Philippines….there is something so beautiful about their way of being….and am so pleased you were able to show them such a good time.
Another day has dawned…onwards and upwards my dear friend….janet. xxxxx
You are so reassuring Janet and certainly have made me feel better. It was so lovely seeing people clapping the gulls, how wonderful to know you would have clapped too….I would have guessed you would though!!!
I totally agree with you about people from the Philippines, they are so open and honest, and genuine. It was a treat to meet them all. Thanks Janet….we really will have to meet one of these days!xxx
You’re not losing your touch at all. You are an absolute angel. We just can’t win them all, which is horrible but true. The number of animals who are alive because of you is far greater than the few that have died.
Ahh, thanks for your sweet comment. Very true about not being able to save everything too. I have learnt something from this and it certainly won’t happen again. xxx
Don’t give up over these two sad events, you do a great job rescuing wildlife and I enjoy reading about them.
Thanks Gerrie, I won’t give up, I’ll just be more careful. Good to hear you enjoy reading about the wildlife.xxx
What dreadful experiences for you, but you have so many successes, you are doing a really great job.
I’m sure your husbands colleagues enjoyed their ferry ride, that was the way I used to go to work in the 60’s, from Birkenhead to Liverpool!
Thanks Pauline, at least I learnt how aggressive moorhens can be so that won’t happen again! How lovely getting a ferry to work.xxx
How very distressing about the moorhen …… that must have been so horrendous for you…. and then the pigeon. I guess there are always ups and downs and things can run together…. I always think things happen in threes….. so brace yerself maybe…… for a third one.
The new picture at the top is so lovely…. with the little bead like bits in the middle! Beautiful colours.
I must go and see if any of our plums are ripe…..Yours look such pretty colours….
Shame the tomatoes aren’t thriving this year…..I guess it is just as you say…. you win some you lose some and so it goes!
Good to hear your news and see the pictures….. you are busy doing lots of interesting things as ever! Good for you! xxx
The moorhen dying like like really shook me up….funny you talk about things happening in threes, my mother always said the same and I have been dreading a third event!
This has been such a weird year for fruit and veg, I think the slow spring resulted in the seeds germinating late, they just haven’t caught up. This will be my first tomatoless year!!! Thanks Rose….looking forward to hearing all your news!xxx
I’m sorry for these losses, Dina, such precious dears and so innocent. The love you gave them altered the trajectory of their lives, however. Your touch and care allowed them to experience love and tenderness, and your witness to their deaths embraced them again when they needed it. Thank you for the bravery it requires to keep trying.
Gentle peace to you.
Thanks Kitty, what a lovely, caring comment. I was so sorry to lose them both, hopefully that won’t happen again….fingers and toes crossed.xxx
What a shock about the moorhen and the chick … but then you have such amazing rapport with animals and normally you’re phenomenally successful. We had a sparrow crash into our window last week – it died almost straightaway. I thought of you … you would have known what to do!
I hope you get to the plums before the wasps do 😉
Hugs xx
Ahh, thanks Gill. It was a shock, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Poor sparrow, so many birds die flying into windows, I think that was what happened to my little bird. There isn’t much anyone can do sadly.
Oh….what is it with plums and wasps???xxx
I’m sorry to hear about these traumatic happenings. I’m sure you feel fed-up thinking you could have done more, but remember all the times you’ve looked after vulnerable creatures and the outcome has been positive. Garden news has been good I see, apart from the tomatoes. It looks like you had an enjoyable time at the concert, watching the street dancers and showing your husband’s colleagues around Liverpool. They look as if they had a good time. All the best for the week ahead.
Thanks Linda.Yes, with wildlife you do have to focus on the positives, it was a shock seeing that poor creature being drowned though but at least it won’t happen again.
We did have an enjoyable day in Liverpool, despite the weather!xxx
Goodness me what a roller-coaster post. Shame about your tomatoes. Sad to read about the moorhen chick and juvenile wood pigeon. xx
Thanks Flighty. A lot of us are having veg problems this year, especially with tomatoes. I think they took too long to get going.xxx
Plums, you say – mine are still green, what’s going on! Looks like your husbands colleagues had a good time in Liverpool – do you know, I have never been – must remedy that one day – looks a great city. Oh what a shame for the poor moorhen – who would have thought they could be so brutal – all that work nurturing for that to happen. And a pigeon as well – nature can be so harsh.n Lovely roses – sometimes all they need is a little love eh. Well done with the seagulls though – may they have a long and happy life.
I have another plum tree that has green plums, this one always ripens a month earlier.
You must come to Liverpool one day, we could have a lovely lunch and I’d get to show you around!
I see moorhens in a completely different light now….as you say, brutal! Thanks Elaine.xxx
Sorry to read about your two horrible experiences …
On a positive note I love your flower header, what a fantastic colour.
Your plums look great too and Brazilica so much fun, great to be able to see family members performing on stage.
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan. Summer is great isn’t it? Sadly, the days are already drawing in!xxx
Another super post….Want to say… ‘Plummy’……Yummy! Love those Brazilian Carnivals….. 😉 Thanks for sharing D! Enjoy your week-end. Hugs!💕💕
You just can’t beat a parade in summer! Thanks Bushka.xxx
Oh my goodness, two horrible experiences, especially the moorhen. I know that nature can be cruel but I’ve never seen anything like that before, poor thing. Your plums look great, it looked as though I was going to get a good harvest from my little tree this year but it’s developed leaf curl and all the fruit has dropped off. My tomatoes are in a similar state too, not a good year for them at all.
I haven’t come across anything like that either, I was utterly stunned and felt like I’d sent the poor creature to it’s death. What a shame. I had peach curl on my tree last year and it died, it was covered i peaches at the time….I think the tomatoes got off to a slow start with the cold spring, usually I have no problem growing them.xxx
The plums are ripe? I must go and check mine. Moorhens are vicious. I used to see them pull ducklings under the water to drown them in my previous garden. They did this all the time,
I’ ve no idea why. As for tomatoes, I’ ve given up on them, they are far too demanding, needing constant watering and feeding.
I have two plum trees, one ripens now but the other will be another month. I can’t remember what types they are, I really must do a little research.
How interesting to hear of your experience with moorhens, I’ve never come across this before even when we had the narrowboat I never witnessed such behavior, there are plenty of stories on the internet describing them as vicious too….I wish I’d known!xxx
The moorhen experience was horrifying – you must have felt dreadful.
The opposite for us, hardly any plums but so far the tomatoes are looking good.
I did feel dreadful, somehow you feel personally responsible. I’ve given up watering the tomatoes now, I don’t think they’re going to come to much.xxx