A Pleasant Evening:

On Friday evening as we (Mother, The Grandmama and I) were listening to the Desmond Carrington radio program, we were treated to the sight of not only sparrows making use of the bird bath and a family of starlings – two sets of harried parents and around sixteen well fed fledglings – loudly squabbling and playing about with one another as they pecked a fat ball to shreds, but also to the magnificent sight of a male greater spotted woodpecker hopping about on the fence before seeing off the starlings and sampling the delights of (what was left of) the fat ball for himself. In the lowering sunlight his wonderful colours were illuminated to perfection and all three of us sat there barely daring to breathe – the window was open – as he feasted just a few feet away from us.

Backed as it was by the music coming from the radio, it was an awesome thing. Even the wood pigeons (which The Grandmama hates with a passion) making a belated appearance and mopping up what was left of the liquid in the bird bath didn’t spoil the mood.

The sight of two pheasants – a male and a female – waddling slowly through along the paving of the communal garden, idly picking up the leftovers as we stood up to leave capped the evening off nicely and we left feeling as happy and nourished as the birds hopefully did.

Good company, good music, good display of wildlife:

A jolly pleasant time all round, I thought.