Nature Diary... Some of Today's Visitors

It rains. Everything is splattered with mud. Some seeds lie soaked on the ground and the birds stay away, sheltering. Then the rain stops and the birds re-appear and feed rapidly. The brave Magpie, seriously hindered by a blood-sucking tick embedded in its neck, goes straight for the mealworms which are tucked away in a dry space, picks some up, and dunks them into the birdbath. He knows where they’re hidden but the Herring Gulls don’t, so there are always some for him. The Blackbird knows the hiding places too and they each choose different ones so they don’t have to squabble. The plucky Robin watches calmly, taking his time, spotting what he wants, then flies down and has his feed too. And, extraordinarily, a tiny Wren, so small and so shy, and so very fast moving, has found a secret spot behind the flowerpots and nips in and out and moves so fast, and is such a teeny weeny little bird it’s easy to miss it and very hard to photograph it. But today one of a dozen quick snaps, just one, was less blurred than the rest, so the little Wren can make an appearance here. And brightening up the scene, in-between pelting rain and flying globs of mud, patiently stand two stalwart chickens, just waiting, and perhaps watching ... as I sit in my chair sipping my cup of tea, also waiting and watching...