An Unusual House Guest

A few days ago I was working at the computer in our office, which is on the mezzanine landing. There are doors off on each side, roughly opposite one another - one into our bedroom and one into the grenier. On this occasion both doors were open.

All of a sudden I was aware of something flying past me and imagine my surprise when I looked up to see a Black Redstart fly out of the grenier, across the mezzanine and into our bedroom!

How it got in we don't know. The most likely explanation is that it got into the far grenier, which isn't insulated and so the rafters are open to the  slated roof. Then it has just flown straight through into the middle grenier and out to where I saw it.

Fortunately it decided to rest on one of the windowsill in our room, obviously somewhat stunned at finding itself with nowhere left to go.

I was able to open both windows but it stayed put. I spoke to it and even stroked it and eventually I was able to take it in my hand and put it out of the window, where it flew to freedom again.

Black Redstarts frequently come into the garage. It's as if they wait for us to vacate the area and then in they go, only leaving if we disturb them. As we've mentioned before here, they have a nest above our front door and we know of one other at the back of the house.

Our bird book says of Black Redstarts: "Habitat,  ....... Buildings in villages"

We think this one is taking it a bit too far!