This afternoon I watched two male blackbirds dancing back and forth along
the ridge of one of the greenhouses. One would stand its ground for x
seconds as the other hopped towards it in a threatening fashion, then it
would fly off, only to return almost immediately to go through the whole
process again. Clearly, they were threatening each other in a "get off my
patch" sort of fashion. At times, in spring, they drive us and themselves,
half mad, bashing away at a pane of glass that divides them when one is in
one green house and the other is next door. They can see each other but
can't figure out that they can neither get at each other or be a danger to
each other.
The rooks are flapping laboriously up and down to the wood at the top of the
field behind us, though they're not bringing back sticks yet, so I think
they're just doing a recce. But they're starting to make a lot of noise in
and around their rookery and seem to be getting into their nest-making
quarrelsome mode.
Today was a 'softer' day, with a little rain and some sun and that, combined
with the blackbirds' muscle flexing and the sudden shooting up of snowdrops,
leads me to hope that spring really is thinking about getting here!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)