It’s been a really busy old week, with all sorts going on. I’ve finally had to accept the fact that the whole house is urgently in need of redecorating and so I finally got stuck in to the worse room in the house, the kitchen. After a crazy few days of dogs getting tangled in my ladders and cans of paint balancing vicariously, I’ve FINISHED the kitchen! Maybe that arch is ….erm….a little bright, but hey, at least it’s clean and fresh again!!! But…..that’s NOT the highlight of my week, oh no……
Nor is it the fresh peas, spinach, lettuce or rocket I’m picking each day from my poppy veggie patch.
And the fact that my big juicy strawberries are about to ripen is fab, but not the highlight either!
I must say the trampoline is becoming a daily pleasure as it’s now an abundance of colourful wildflowers….but still not the highlight…..
Nor is it my delightful toms that will finally make my homegrown salad complete…….
And although I am having a great time hand feeding the nine wood pigeon and collared dove chicks, something even better was to come.
Something even better than watching these adorable rabbits recover from an abusive owner…..
And meeting my first zebra finch was certainly interesting….but that wasn’t it either!
Neither was it watching this little dunnock chick learning to feed itself……
Or releasing our seventh batch of ducklings, all now healthy ducks, and receiving yet ANOTHER batch of ducklings….oh no…none of these…….
Drum roll please……..Last Sunday I was face painting for the rescue’s open day, lucky for you lot I forgot my camera so I can’t bore you with pics. The event raised almost four thousand pounds which was absolutely fantastic, but the highlight came at the party afterwards.
As I let my daughter and myself into the rescue for the evening’s entertainment, I heard a sudden, frenzied beating of wings around me, and the loud cawing screams of jackdaws. Out of nowhere came four adult jackdaws which quickly surrounded me. Daughter thought we were under attack and was seriously freaked out, but I instantly recognized them as the the four jackdaw chicks we had recently reared. I hadn’t realized they had been released a few days before.
It was such an incredible experience to have the adult birds recognize me. There was no-one around as the centre was closed, so it was just us and them, which made it all the more special!!! To actually see these stunning birds flying around, free, in the big wide world was extremely emotional for me, I really can’t express how moving it was, especially as they were so small when they came in. Talk about making volunteering worthwhile….an absolute treat!!!
My next shift at the rescue was on the Tuesday, and again, as soon as I came in I was greeted by the four jackdaws. The only people the birds entertain and greet are the staff who have fed them in the past, what good memories they have eh??? We are leaving a little food out for them but they are now feeding themselves. They may leave us soon but I will always remember that first meeting with them in the wild!!!! Oh yes, truly WONDERFUL!!!!
Thanks Annie…..yes, it’s something you never tire off….seeing animals go back to the wild is always like the first time. Always FANTASTIC. xxxx
Oops catching up on old blog posts, but so glad could read this story you must get so much pleasure and joy from seeing creatures you’ve helped rescue thrive and get on in the world again. A lovely story.
Hahahahahaha….WOT are you like!!!! xxxx
It WAS like an Alfred Hitchcock movie… terrifying lol. I can’t wait for those strawberries to be ripe… and the dove chick is adorably hideous xxx
Oh Dessie….it was a total treat for me, and something I won’t forget.xxxx
I can understand how thrilling it would be to see captive chicks meet up with you once released, as adults.
Well, isn’t that something. A blessing for all your hard work with them. Love all your pictures and good job with your painting.
Thanks Susanne, it was something special for sure for me….and I’m happy to get the kitchen out of the way….now I just need to sort the rest of the house.xxxx
What a wonderful story, it made me emotional just reading it. Big hug xx
Awwwwww……thanks Suzy, it was a very special moment for me.xxxx
What a lovely week for you with all the animals doing well and the kitchen looking all refreshed. Great that the baby jackdaws still recognise you – you have obviously become a surrogate mum to them and will be feeding them till they are 21 – just like normal offspring!
Lol, thanks Elaine, I am enjoying being mum to babies that don’t need me anymore, I think that’s the best part of it! Hahahahaha….hopefully they’ll well be gone before reaching 21!!!!1
The kitchen is a little bright but sooooooooooo clean…..xxxx
What an enjoyable post. Iove all the animal photos. They are so gorgeous. And I never realised your charges would come back to see you, You are their second mum !!
Like Shimon, I also have a soft spot for rabbits.
And how do you find the time to do the decorating as well ?
You really do pack a lot in. Another very enjoyable post Dina xxx
Thanks Kegs. I love the idea of being the jackdaw’s second mum, and while it lasts I’ll enjoy it, especially as they are now free in the countryside.
I am a rabbit fan too. they come in all shapes and sizes, some are docile and some are aggressive thumpers and chargers but I do admire them all.
Sighs….decorating is a dismal chore that simply has to be done….our house is in need of it. There are so many better things that time can be spent on, but once it’s done I do feel better.xxxx
Y’know Shimon, I will have to post just on rabbits for you one of these days as you love them so much and we have so many different types…..lol….that will save you a long journey!!!
Ahhhhh….a summit indeed for me, every now and then I get a really special unique moment at the rescue, that always remains with me. Last year’s was getting a dying swift to feed when no-one else could, and that little bird went back to it’s flock just in time to migrate.
We do lose animals but each year our survival rates get better and better which is fantastic!xxxx
Oh, you had me there. After seeing those beautiful rabbits, I though, what could be better? They were so gorgeous, I was thinking I should travel all the way to England just to take part in the rescue (smiles)… but when I got to the punch line, I had to admit, You’ve reached the summit. I am overwhelmed by your successes.
I’m so thrilled for you! Isn’t it a fabulous feeling when these dear creatures are set free, but especially that they recognised you 🙂
(You’ve certainly had a fab week!)
Best wishes
Rose H
x
Thanks Rose, it is a fabulous feeling to see the animals released and even more exciting to be recognized….clever clever birds!!! xxxx
How wonderful! I really wondered just what it was going to be working my way through the post and pictures but I would never have guessed.
That apart I like the look of that zebra finch, which I see is an Australian bird. Flighty xx
Thanks Flighty, it was a very special moment for me!
Ah! Now I didn’t know zebra finch’s were from Oz…..so that’s good to know.xxxx
What a magnificent week, Snow Bird! Thank you for sharing all the happy news and views. (Although, at first, I thought you’d gone to great lengths to help your American readers celebrate the 4th of July, what with the red, white and blue paints! 🙂 What a beautiful home you’ve created!)
How wonderful to hear the jackdaws express their gratitude and love, and how terrific, too, to hear you have donors and supporters to keep the rescue afloat and doing its important work in the world!
It’s clear your beautiful and creative spirit is shining light wherever it can, and further than you know! 🙂
Hahahahaha….of COURSE I painted the kitchen for the 4th of July….I hope you had a good one!
My house will look a lot better over the next few months once I’ve re-decorated it, it’s a mess at the moment, but fresh paint always brings positive vibes with it.
Some people are simply amazingly generous and it’s down to them that the place survives, every little helps……bless them!!! And those jackdaws are heavenly!!!
What a lovely thing to say…..I would love to think I could spread a little light, thanks for that Kitty.xxxx
Wow how absolutely wonderful the jackdaws remember you and are your ‘babies’ forever – am sure they will always remember you for looking after them.
Lovely post and what a good build-up! I couldn’t imagine what the climax was going to be! xxxx
Ahhhhh….thanks Arose, they will always be my babies in my heart, it was a pleasure to rear them, and if they do go I’ll never forget them.xxxx
Summer is the time to do all those things you couldn’t do in preceding months. The kitchen is a start. You really have some feathered friends, don’t you? Great pics too. Weather is not to bad here now, but a polar blast hit NZ a couple of weeks ago with storms and snow down to low levels in the south. We had our worst storm since 1968 a week or so back here in the Wellington region. In 1968 the ferry Wahine was sunk with the loss of over 50 lives. Just damage and inconvenience this time – power cuts and the commuter train out for a few days.
Thanks Peter, I do love the longer days of summer, it does give us so much extra time to get cracking.
OMG….poor NZ is in the wars this year, I’m so glad to hear that no-one was injured in the storm this year!xxxx
What a splendid post…..all those ‘almost highlights….’…then the HIGHLIGHT!!!! Excellent! So exciting…..Lovely! Hugs! :)xx
Thanks Bushka….a marvelous highlight for me!xxxx
Well, I could hardly wait to read what your highlight was, you’d built it up so well! And what a wonderful thing to have happened, I think it would be a highlight of mine for a long time. It’s fantastic to connect with wildlife and Jackdaws are such intelligent birds.
The other birds and animals in your rescue are adorable, too – especially the little Dunnock.
I love the bright colours in your house, and I can just imagine the dogs getting involved with the decorating (trying to help, maybe?!)
Thanks Wendy…..I’m glad you agree that it was a special moment…..they are such incredible birds and those piercing blue eyes bore right through you!
We do have a wonderful mixture of birds at the moment, they all behave so differently.
Lol…..I think I can be too bright colour wise but I hate dull colours….and yes….dogs DO like to get involved, they came out multi-coloured too!xxxx
What a moment! No wonder it was your favorite, though all the lovely progress in the garden are also wonderful. Can it be that only a few weeks ago you had hardly a green thing anywhere? And I see you’ve carried your blue theme into the house. The dogs seem particularly pleased with it 😉
Oh it was such a special moment for me….and right out of the blue too!!! Literally….lol
It’s lovely to finally catch up with you garden wise…..flowers are bursting into colour everywhere I look and I just love it.
Lol……me and blue ah? I’ll have to try and quit now, while I’m ahead…ish….xxxx
Superb;
We have rooks etc trying to defeat all our efforts to feed small birds from our feeder stand. Their cleverness, their antics are better than paying to go to a circus.
It is great to see results from your rearing and releasing. xxx
Thanks Menhir, it’s wonderful releasing wild animals, it really makes it all worthwhile.
Rooks, crows and ravens are such intelligent animals aren’t they……lol, I can imagine it’s better than a circus!xxxx
How wonderful – I knew that jackdaws were really intelligent but that is special.
We have a blackbird with one bad leg that waits on our bird table each morning until we put out some buggy nibbles.
AS for decorating we to have started the major task of decorating throughout both ours and my sister’s house.
Thanks Sue, jackdaws are the most entertaining birds I’ve ever handled, they are as bright as new buttons.
Oh bless you for feeding the poor little blackbird, it wouldn’t survive without you.
Struth, I don’t know how you are going to find time for the decorating, your allotment is more than enough.xxxx
Oh what a wonderful post, and that amazing experience of having the jackdaws recognise you makes my hair stand on it – absolutely unmatchable!! That’s really all the thanks you need, eh Snowbird. And I love the way you keep teasing us – not this not this not this – ha ha ha ha – what a treat! Hugs! By the way I’ve been reading Louis de Berniere’s ‘Notwithstanding’ which has two stories in it about a boy who has a tame jackdaw.
Thanks Gilly, it was such a fantastic moment meeting the jackdaws in the wild, it was so unexpected, and as you say, more than enough in the way of thanks! A memory I’ll keep forever!!!
Oh….”Notwithstanding” sounds right up my street, thanks so much for that, it shall be my next read.xxxx
How lovely …… good job they weren’t vultures ~ that would have freaked your daughter!!!
Hahahahahaha…..we release herring gulls too and they aren’t so friendly with their huge sharp beaks, I’m glad they get released on beaches!xxxx
How wonderful. In fact, I’d say you’ve had a pretty awesome week all round with all those highlights. A fabulous amount was raised at the open day, I think people realise what a worthwhile cause they’e supporting.
Thanks Jo, it has been a great week one way or another, but the jackdaws were the icing on the cake for me!!!
It’s wonderful how many people turn out to support the rescue, without them it would shut down in months. Some people are amazingly generous. xxxx