Seeds and Hiccups!

M, B and I joined the gentle and convivial U3A Birdwatching Group this morning for its monthly walk along the river Glaven to the ‘Natural Surroundings’ plant centre and café. Apparently 17 species of bird were recorded, which for August, seemed quite respectable.
 
My overall impression of the countryside was of seeds…everywhere.  The main blip is of Cow Parsley seeds and the extra are of summer grasses.  There was also a huge amount of thistle seeds blowing around in the breeze.  August is not my favourite month, as all the lush greenness of summer has been replaced with shades of golds and browns. The grasses have ripened to produce their seeds and many of the pretty meadow flowers have also faded.  This is, of course, particularly noticeable this year with the lack of rain.  However, it does have a beauty of its own, but I’m glad of the appearance of Marsh Willowherb, field bindweed and Ragwort which provide flowers when others are past their best.
Most of the farmers here have gathered in their harvest already and the golden fields are dotted with ‘sausage roll’ shaped bundles of hay, it feels like the best days of summer are passing so fast.
 
After a sustaining lunch, M and I spent the afternoon working in the garden.  The temperatures in the morning were much cooler than the previous day, so it seemed a good idea to finish off preparing the compacted soil, breaking it down and raking ready for the forthcoming lawn.  However, the temperatures seemed to rise again, and having perspired and then got covered in soil dust during the process we were pretty filthy by the time we finished and so it was straight into a cool, refreshing shower.
 
One thing that at first puzzled and then rather amused us, whilst gardening, was a strange noise we kept hearing and couldn’t make out what it was, until the culprit, a wood pigeon, appeared on our fence and seemed to be having an attack of hiccups!  Actually, in the end we felt rather sorry for it as each hiccup was racking his body and when I went out into the garden half an hour later it was still suffering.  I do hope it went away in the end.  Has anyone else heard a bird with hiccups?  I didn’t know they suffered with it too.