Enchanted avians

Obviously, Tane subsinging every time he sees me is an unparalleled joy. Well, it parallels Bobbit's whisper song intimacy.

However, there's more! Though I do not have appropriate images.

The other day, I was crouching in the garden. Why I was crouching is neither here nor there. I think I wanted to be unobtrusive. A long-tailed tit flew down and perched by my head. We looked in each other's faces... at which point the tit gave the equivalent of a scream and fled. Maybe she had thought I was a boulder. Or a tortoise. And was disappointed.

I have heard, twice now, in the back of the garden, sounds that I cannot identify. It seems to come from the hedge and is very high-pitched. Maybe it is goldcrests. Whatever or whoever it is, I can't see any movement at all. It's like the hedge is singing.

On my way to work, after a very grey weekend, the sun came out. Across the motorway flew the largest flock of geese I have seen. it wasn't especially large, but there were a lot of geese. Greylags I think. There was one large V and a smaller V almost separated off the back. The last bird in the small V seemed shocked by the road, or buffeted by the passing lorries, yet she rallied and followed on over the road behind her companions. I found that I was calling out, "You're alright; it's alright. God bless you; God bless you all; be safe!"

Then, at work, my colleague told me about his friend who is involved with the white-tailed eagle reintroductions on the Isle of Wight. He said they have trackers on all the birds. One mated pair set off and were away from the island for a few weeks. During this time, one flew up the east coast of England, the other up the west. They met somewhere in Yorkshire and then both flew back on different coasts. How did they know where the other bird was such that they could meet up at the furthest point of their journey? Some might say it was coincidence. But... but... maybe it's not.

Today Tane caught a huge green caterpillar. A caterpillar?? In January?? It was so big that though he pecked and pecked, he eventually gave up and dropped it. Something of a waste, though I am sure someone will eat it.

Some research suggests that the caterpillar might have been an angle shades moth caterpillar. Sadly, it is now dead.