TRAGEDY

TRAGEDY

Last night there was a bang on the window of the living room. I went outside to find a dying song thrush. The window is under the covered area outside the kitchen so I suspect it was fleeing from a sparrowhawk. This is not the only accident we have had with birds and windows - the first was a blue tit which recovered and a greenfinch, picture above, which also recovered after sitting dazed in my hand for about ten minutes.

We could put black hawk cutouts on the windows but that would not have stopped the last tragedy. Sparrowhawks are such efficient predators, skimming the hedges like a low flying jet and causing panic in the garden.

It is raining - soft rain, Irish rain, coating everything and filling the alchemilla leaves with jewels. This, of course, does not stop my grandson J from wanting to go out into the garden - coat and wellies on - neither of which will stop him getting wet.