The 5th birdie bulletin

"A beady eye" by Susie Mallett
26th June 2011

Life in a nest is, for us observers, not very exciting. Although saying that when I go out for a chat I do enjoy watching how whoever it is doing the sitting jiggles about and rearranges feathers, but more importantly keeps a beady eye on me. It is a very relaxing place to be and as the day wore on the air got warmer and the rain clouds cleared so I took a few cups of tea out there and did a bit of observing.

I have tried without success to take a more interesting photograph of the lodgers. Short of getting the step ladder out on the balcony and risking disturbing Mr. and Mrs. Collared Dove even more than I already do, I do not know how to illustrate these bulletins with anything more than a beady eye and a few twigs.

Maybe the weather will get even more summery now that mid-summer day has been and gone, then I can sit out there beneath the swaying branches with a pencil and paints in my hands to create my own picture of my neighbours.

As I have no idea how long the birds have been sitting, although I suspect they moved in when I was in Newcastle at the beginning of the month, I do not know how much longer this inaction will last.

There can only be a few days to go before the patter of tiny feet can be heard, or perhaps just the tweeting from tiny bills. Then it will be a constant coming and going hopefully with more to report on. For now all I have to say is that I spent just some very relaxing moments today watched over by a beady eye!