Blooming hot today...

...and it’s only 10 am.

I am roasting on my thatched swing. Popeye has gone into the potting shed where it is still cool, but it will be a furnace soon...

You can see loads of red campion. It has grown splendid and tall this year. In the middle of the photo you can see some comfrey. I just twisted my ankle when I turned to come out of the potting shed when I let Popeye in, so took some leaves of the comfrey, bruised it and got it round my ankle now.

I am confused about Mr Blackbird and Mrs Blackbird.

I mentioned Mr B at Xmas when he was bullying all the small birds out of the garden.

Then he teamed up with Mrs B.

Then they waited and waited (I presume some activity went on) but no eggs or babies.

Then Mrs B invited other suitors to the nest Mr B made for Mrs B.

Mr B was suitably enraged and sent them all packing.

Then some kind of peace reigned.

Then Mrs B kept chasing Mr B from the nest that Mr B made in the hedge at the left of the garden in the photo.

Mr B then took refuge in an old nest in the greenery on the right of the garden, in this pic, whenever Mrs B chased him from his nest at the left of the garden.

Mr B retreated to his man den for some time.

They both lived separate lives.

Then about two weeks ago, Mrs B chased Mr B out of his man den. Every time Mr B went in his man den he was chased out by Mrs B.

So he went back to the nest he made at the left of the garden which Mrs B has claimed as hers as part of her matrimonial rights.

Back came Mrs B and chased him out of their matrimonial home.

This has been going on, on a constant many times a day, daily basis the last couple of weeks.

But, the last few days Mrs B has been flying frantically from her matrimonial home to Mr B’s man den, and going off as well and then coming immediately back to one or other of the nests.

Did Mrs B’s liaisons produce more than one set of offspring?

It is going on this morning as well.

Mrs B appears to be on a mission.

Mr B appears confused and is sitting around on a branch looking like a spare part.

I am confused.....


UPDATE at 12:31
Mrs B chased Mr B from the branch he was sitting on.

Then she went into Mr B’s man den. Then a flurry of flying back and forth out of my garden bringing what looked like food to Mr B’s man den.

Then Mrs B shot back to the matrimonial nest and a flurry of backwards and forwards feeding whatever was in there, or at least bringing food back.

Then Mrs B had a go at Mr B, whereupon Mr B is now flying back and forth with food and putting it in his man den....

I cannot work this out.

Is Mr B putting food in the man den nest for Mrs B to come and get for whatever she has in the matrimonial nest, or is he feeding something/s in his man den?

I am very confused...