Death Wish

I have never understood how the blackbird species has survived. The fledglings flop out of the nest before they're properly able to fly, and then proceed to hop about and chatter, flapping their useless wings and drawing the attention of every predator within earshot. Including our cats!

Amazingly, this one has survived thus far, and unless we see feather in the house tomorrow morning, I'm guessing it will have survived to the point when it can actually fly. Fortunately it was in the front garden, and our cats were sacked out in the shade in the back garden.

It was so hot, though, that I think it was tired out from its antics and was just sitting in the grass with its mouth open -- probably still in "baby bird" mode, expecting mummy and daddy blackbird to come feed it.