Mince

[*Pronounced almost like "manse"*]

I think it equates to "rats" or "drat"; stronger than "oh dear", and not quite as strong as "bugger!".

Maria vigilance: nul points.

I was rummaging in the fridge to find some cheese to go with my squirly pasta [just because it's the hottest day of the year so far is no reason not to go with hot, cheesy stodge for dinner!], and realised there was very little beer in the drawer.

As the door to upstairs was already open, I thought I'd try there first (before going into the cellar), as David moved the booze when he was last here. Then I got into a stream-of-consciousness thing: "ooh, doesn't feel very hot up here?", so I went to the thermometer & a bird flew away.

Well, I'm quite used to birds flying away upstairs [somewhere on my list of priorities is blocking any entrance holes, but it's VERY low], so didn't twig that the "abandoned" nest I'd seen there was now in use!

I knew it was a new one, as the bit of tufa it's on was where I cleaned last year - David & I discussed it a couple of weeks ago. We just thought it had been used and was now finished with.

At least we can keep out of the grenier mostly for a few weeks; it's not like if they nest downstairs - they would be trapped when we've got the place closed up.

I shall sneak up there tomorrow & see if I've put the hen off sitting...

Sorry, should have mentioned it's, of course, a redstart.

[I think I previously posted that they'd stopped looking for nest sites; and now I've found out why! Oh, and it's only 25°C up there.]