Cocky and the woodpile
huttonian



Mr Fish must be on holiday somewhere as the weather is so glorious. It is strange how he does not appear on our screens except when the conditions are foul or are forecast as filthy. He seems to have no stomach for his fair weather friends.

But good news for our birds. The wife spends much of her energy (and some of my money) on a bird friendly patio. Especially erected woodpile, lots of food dangling from it, daily changed water. Admittedly so many birds is a pleasing sight and the RSPB medal for services to brown jobs is expected daily. As well as the brown jobs, we have more exotic song birds, a giant woodpecker, strutting pigeons who spend more time protecting their territory than eating, visiting house martins and the occasional marauding Sparrow Hawk who is particularily partial to gold finches. But the most absurdly exotic are Cocky and Ollie the pair of Pheasant who are around most of the day stuffing themselves. Cocky has ben around a couple of years but we have now been honoured with the arrival of his bride who I am sure has a few chicks hatching in the jungle of our flower beds.

Pheasants are not in short supply in the Hutton region. Below us on the Whiteadder about 10,000 chicks are being hatched and reared in preparation for their Waterloo across the river-targets for the invited guns of well heeled businessmen from southern parts. C and O however may well be spared unless they take to visiting their cousins on the river.
No other likely predator around here-too big even for killer moggie to take on and too smart, one hopes, for the visiting turd laying dogs from across the wall.   ¶ 8:54 AM