Early doors

The sun was shining when my eyes opened at five, so I got up and took a stroll round the playing field with my camera after a quick breakfast. It was breakfast time for the birds too, young blackbirds and thrushes were hopping about on the recently mown grass, fending for themselves while their parents no doubt go about raising second broods. A robin family wasn't quite so advanced, with two juveniles being seen following an adult along a hedge.

Juvenile robin in the morning shade

There's a sort of mini-plantation in a part of the playing field and I'm pretty sure I saw willow tits there. I certainly saw long tailed tits along the edge of the wood. The wood itself was fairly quiet. Apart from blackbirds there wasn't much to see or hear. I did see a hare in the field at the far side of the wood, and even though I thought I was concealed, and it was good way off, it soon made itself scarce.

By the time I left the wood the early dog walkers were about and my return along the field edge proved very quiet. Most everything had been disturbed by the hounds. I whiled a few minutes away trying to catch a swallow skimming low over the grass. They are tricky beggars to snap. I managed one half decent pic of a swallow against a clear blue sky though. It would have been nicer had it been closer and better defined. Beggars can't be choosers.

Swallow

Back home and there's a trusting young blackbird about. It had better learn fast about cats. Fingers crossed.

Young blackbird

It can be quite assertive!

---