This Monstrous Road

[brigadier]

I have lived here for three years and have come to be passionate about the wildlife that frequently crosses my boundaries. At the back of my house I look onto fields and woodland and I am surrounded by Hawthorne hedging- trimmed in August every year to maintain its thickness and help it become an established hedgerow.

Unfortunately at the front I am directly onto an A Road, its a country road so has no lighting or serious markings, however it is straight and fast and unregulated. We always knew that the road was the compromise to living here, and there is always one isn't there?

This morning I found a dead wood pigeon, she was unmarked but had clearly been hit by a vehicle and had landed on my drive. I felt so sad as from watching them they have the most wonderful courtship and mate for the season bringing several nests of new pigeons on each year. As I scooped her up to place in some long grass at the back of the verge I wondered about her mate, was he on the nest, was he missing her? But then I saw him, he too had been struck and was lying in a mangled heap further along the verge. I put them together and covered them up, they had mated together,flown together, probably had chicks together and now they had died together.

All day I have wondered about the nest and the eggs or chicks growing colder..............I hate this road!

[dannyboy]

So sad. I too would be like you and fret for those little chicks left behind. Nice they left this world together though.

[solomon]

Ah so sad. I love wild birds. It's a really nice part of hacking out seeing the birds. Such a shame having fatalities so close to home. We have baby starlings in the garden. They are so funny. RIP you two.

[racaille]

Gosh Brig, we lead parallel lives. I too have had to make the compromise: we could not have afforded this land had it not been on a road. I worry about any future dogs I may have.

And as for wildlife: we have some lovely pheasants who cross my paddocks every evening. They will not survive the opening of the hunting season at the end of August. And we have a bank of bee-eater nests just by the house, I was so sad to see one by the side of the road.

[brigadier]

So today I found the baby pigeon dead on the drive under its nest- its too high up to see if there is another one in there but I suspect there will be. I laid the poor little thing with its mum and dad. What is it with nature and me. Why do I have to see this side of it so up close and personal?

[ernieburt]

Oh no that's awfull for you, so sad, RIP little ones and lets hope there was only the one chick. Xxxxx

[zara]

That is so sad Brig and know exactly how you feel. RIP little ones, some people do care xx

[racaille]

Not just you Brig. Yesterday, when the teenager and I were away at the comp, my OH heard a great thump at the big windows in the sitting room. A woodpecker had knocked itself out and was so dazed that it just lay there .... the OH put it back near a tree and watched it regain consciousness and climb a tree so here's hoping ...

[brigadier]

oh gosh- that is so unusual for woodpeckers! We see them here but they are so shy- one little movement and they are gone. Hope its recovered.