The Bird

In the distance he could see the clay hills, white and clean, against the heavy pallor of the sky. Something black rose from behind them, like a smudge at first, then widening, becoming deeper, and the smudge became a cloud, and the cloud divided again into five other clouds, spreading north, east, south and west, and they were not clouds at all; they were birds.
- The Birds - Daphne du Maurier

I saw this brave bird hopping around my garden this morning with food in his mouth; without a care or concern that there are always cats about. Then he flew up onto the fence and just stared at me..