Yesterday we heard distress coming from the flicker nest in the vents. Saw a flicker chasing a starling across the lawn to no avail.
Starlings are assholes.
The flickers had removed the protective wire inside the vents- starlings, opportunists, discovered the easy access...and the babies, which they killed.
And so, Mr. Man decided to block the starlings -
some birds are more equal than others, starlings are aggressive , mean ,imported, and highly successful. Flickers are local, really beautiful, and eat lots of bugs.
They are welcomed, too late now.
Fortified wire mesh will be hammered into the house to cover the vents.
House down the street has four tall ladders! Men climbing on the steep roof to replace shingles.
I had two friends who died and one cousin who broke his back that way.
Roofing - not a great profession. Gravity!! Starlings, not a great bird. Murder!!
That's a shame about the flickers. It's a cliche but it's true -- nature is cruel!
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to not interfere with nature and it's wicked culling of the weak and less smart, or so they rationalise. In human world it does seem cruel and unfair- bullying babies to death.
DeleteI hate it when my husband climbs a ladder. HATE IT!
ReplyDeletePoor Flickers.
nerve wracking isn't it! I love the flickers. Not at all fond of starlings, bully rascals!
DeleteYou are the second person I have heard with this same starling problem this summer. Mean critters. And ladders: they must be secured.
ReplyDeleteNasty little British imports, They eat all of the blueberries and kill all of the other birds, They are not gentlemen birds.
DeleteI guess there could be comparisons made to starlings and immigrants and terrorists but I won't go there. Starlings are tough opportunists and survivalists, messy nesters and bullies. I'll take the flickers although they've tried more than once to set up housekeeping in our chimney and bathroom flues and ended up in the house. Looks like Mr. Man has stuff to do to fill his days of freedom from drilling and pulling. Keep him off the roof. That's a job for Santa and his reindeer.
ReplyDeleteNo comparison at all. Mr. Man is busy all the time, and you are correct, no crawling around on the roof!! Diabetes is a twenty four hour job in itself , health compromises limit most shenanigans!
DeleteHow could you bear to watch?! I, too, find starlings anathema, and mine are nearly a continent away.
ReplyDeletewe were too late, the babies were already dead. Anathema is a great word!
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