Fledged

This female blackbird is fully fledged and starting to look quite grown up.  She's still quite young with lots to learn though.  I've seen her before: just a couple of weeks ago she was being fed by her father in the same spot.  When I saw her today Dad was still not far away.  

She was clearly interested in me and I talked softly to her, as I was taking her picture. Eventually she hopped off the wooden rail and came to within inches of my feet, looking up at me.  I suspect that she's been offered crumbs or similar by others previously and so considers humans benign. 

But as that cautionary tale of 4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie tells us, humans are not to be trusted, particularly those that bake pastry!

This is another one of those shots (like yesterday's warbler) where you don't really see the detail available unless you look in large.

Another day of torrential rain here, well certainly this morning.  Of course it is the first day of our local village festival.  Fortunately it has been dry since mid afternoon and some of the late afternoon outdoor events are able to go ahead.