A week ago today our neighbours had the tatty old fence between our gardens replaced. They told us that if we wanted to get rid of our old hedge, the contractors would dispose of it for us.

So, last Tuesday I was cutting back the hedge when I found to my surprise a robin's nest containing four little blue eggs. I immediately stopped work and when the lads arrived the following morning I asked them to do what they could to minimise disturbing the birds. This was a tall order given the nest's proximity to where they were working so we could only hope that Mr and Mrs Robin wouldn't abandon the nest.

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Robins are tough little birds though and to our surprise when we checked yesterday, this is what we found.

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I'm pretty sure that there are four chicks in the nest but only three are visible in that shot.

The big problem now will be keeping the magpies away. Fingers crossed.

Well spotted!

Well, it wasn't the magpies that got 'em but last night's storm we think (heavy rain and 90+mph gusts at The Needles only a couple of miles away).

When we had a peep this morning the adults were nowhere to be seen and the four tiny little chicks are lying dead in the bottom of the nest.

Poor little things. Nature can be so cruel.