The Bird’s Nest

I have been waiting a long time to get somewhere with the drama of my masia. On The finca diaries I am writing about it from the beginning and here I am writing about it from the present and end-ish, the end-ish being the fact that finally enough progress had been made to be able to PLASTER THE WALLS!

The day arrived and three extremely handsome plasters arrived, all brothers. Carlos explained to them that I wanted a bad plastering job done. They looked very puzzled. I explained; I did not want the plaster flat, but undulating, like the old days. They looked even more puzzled. One said, “but we can make is flat these days”. “Yes, I know”, I replied, “but I want the masia to look old”. Carlos butted in and said, “Ok, they will do “pruebas” for you on the day and you can have it any way you want”.

Agreed. Two weeks later the three brothers arrived at 7.30 am in the morning. After four different attempts on four different walls, they hit upon perfection. Undulating, but smooth at the same time, with no raking lines. I waved my right hand expansively and said, “Perfect, do the whole house like this, apart from the bathrooms ” –  I thought it might be awkward to hang cupboards with undulating walls.

Taking a tour of the rooms, we noted a bird’s nest sitting on top of a metal pole in a to-be built-in wardrobe. Carlos’s stonemason built a platform so that I could take a look at it, and when that failed to take me high enough, he gently lifted the nest down, cupping it in his broad hands, and showed me four perfect lightly speckled eggs, while beaming from ear to ear with excitement.

Well, I am happy to say that the plasterers have been charming and professional and the plastering job is phenomenal. Only problem is, not wanting to disturb the nest, the wardrobe upstairs is yet to be plastered. Mommy bird ( I think it was a house martin but can not be sure) flew in and out of the house unhindered for the duration of their work through an outlet pipe for the WC in one of the bathrooms. Not only were my plasterers enchanted, but also the stonemason. I found it touching that they cared so much for the bird.

In the beginning of July  the eggs hatched and mother and brood were doing well, at least  from what I could see of them for she was very protective.  Shortly after I flew to England to  work for three weeks  and the first thing I did upon my return was go to have a look at the nest.  It had been abandonned, but the window in the room was still open so I hoped that the babies had flown safely away.  However, two eggs had not hatched and there was bird shit all over the place.  Did a rat get them?  I will never know.