Brighton Gazette - Thursday 05 August 1852

Singular Birds' Nests.

—Our attention was some time since drawn to the singular situation chosen by a pair of post birds, to build their nests in Cuckfield Place Gardens. Mr Coomber, the farm bailiff, having been using a hoe in the garden hung it on a nail against a wall, beneath a small shelf, and on going to it again found a pair of birds very busy building their nest upon it.

He let it remain, and in short time they had finished their task, nicely fitting the moss to the hoe and the face of the wall. The hen bird laid four eggs, upon which she sat, and in due time, notwithstanding she was constantly visited during the time of incubation, hatched many young ones, which the old birds constantly attended to and brought up, until they forsook the nest, regardless of interruption.

Mr Sergison and his family took much interest in the progress of the young brood, and they were visited by many persons. Mr Coomber taking the nest off the hoe when be wished to use it, and placing it on the shelf or the ground while he was hoeing, but the birds did not seem alarmed, still feeding their young and attending to their parental duties, as if nothing bad happened, and as soon as he replaced it in its original position they would express their gratification flying round and chirupping forth their song of joy, thus bringing up their progeny until they were fully fledged and able to provide for themselves.