30 Days Wild Day 30 - Turdus merula

While prepping the Lodge I spotted this male Blackbird basking in the sun.  It very kindly stayed where it was while I went back inside to get my camera.  I assumed it was just sunbathing as it wasn't spreading wings etc.  However being close to the ant's nest there is just an outside chance it was anting.

Birds will spread their feathers out near an ant's nest encouraging the ants to spray formic acid on them.  This is believed to to be a way of ridding themselves of insect pests such as feather lice.

Today is the last day of my 30 days wild challenge.  It has been very interesting and certainly achieved its aim of getting me to go out and look for wild things.  It has brought home to me how much of my field botany in particular is slipping from my memory.  I need to practice.