Reflected

A wagtail (grey I think) was hopping  and pecking along the water's edge where the river runs into the estuary at Newport bridge. Wagtails always seem surprisingly fearless in the way they dart around busy places such as roads and pavement puddles.

Thomas Hardy wrote a satirical ditty about the wagtail's behaviour to illustrate that the greatest threat in nature is humanity

Wagtail and Baby

A baby watched a ford, whereto
A wagtail came for drinking;
A blaring bull went wading through,
The wagtail showed no shrinking.

A stallion splashed his way across,
The birdie nearly sinking;
He gave his plumes a twitch and toss,
And held his own unblinking.

Next saw the baby round the spot
A mongrel slowly slinking;
The wagtail gazed, but faltered not
In dip and sip and prinking.

A perfect gentleman then neared;
The wagtail, in a winking,
With terror rose and disappeared;
The baby fell a-thinking.

(This was put to music by Benjamin Britten and sung here by Peter Pears)

Very best wishes to all you blippers who write comments which all too often I don't answer or return, and all those who give stars and hearts (ditto) and of course to the Blipfoto admin team who do such a sterling job year after year in keeping this site going. Let's hope for a happier, healthier year worldwide.