Hungry!

After a grey start it turned into a beautiful afternoon, which I spent meandering round Bedford Purlieus. I hadn't visited in May for several years- it used to be a favourite dog-walking site and I got to know it very well over the years. I was pleased to re-find many of the rare and local species that the site is noted for, including Mountain Melick (see extra) at its most southerly site in the UK.

Despite taking many photographs at the Purlieus, I decided that this hungry starling fledgling deserved pride of place today. At the moment our garden is full of these raucous teenagers, many still being fed by their parents, but some also foraging for themselves, finding out what is actually edible. They particularly like the fat balls we put out, which are disappearing with alarming rapidity.