Learning to fly

So the little ones (the blackbirds - must give them names or something) are learning to fly still.

Got a couple of snaps of them today but only with my phone so they're not so good quality. Here's daddy on feeding duty...

The birds are out!!

Fun today! The little baby blackbirds decided to leave the nest. And so with much tweeting, flapping, and crashing they're down on the ground in the garden.

One of them, I think, flew into the window. I went to look and he was peering up at me! I then tried to take a photo, scared him off, and he went and flew away....straight into the dustbin! Poor fella.

It's been a real priviledge having the birds so visible in our garden. I hope we didn't scare them too much.

Will there be another brood in the summer?!

Nesting birds

One thing I've been enjoing about being back in Swindon is the garden. In London we had a flat with no outdoor space of our own. Here we have a little patch of lawn, a shed, and lots of plants!

In fact, we probably have more plants than all our neighbours. Which means that all the wildlife congregate on our patch.

Last year I discovered spiders. I've always thought them to be amazing creatures. And now I'm fascinated with birds!

We have a blackbird nesting right below our study window and it's been a real privilege to see them go from having Mr Blackbird dashing around collecting nesting material, to Mrs Blackbird sat protectively on her nest, through seeing the eggs, and then the tiny pink bodies of the newly hatched wriggling around, to the little, thin-feathered and gaping-mouthed ("feed me!!!") chicks. Creation is awesome and I love seeing it at work.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

Here are the little things: