A Pair of Scruffs

My Dear Princess, Loulou and Fellows,

As you know, I am very fond of our bird-life, especially the blackbird families that have visited us this year. We have watched blackbirds arrive with their ridiculous children in tow, squawking to be fed by their poor parents, and being generally demanding. 

But now the mottled juveniles are starting to grow up. I like to imagine their voices breaking, "CHURP! I mean tweet. I mean CHU-RRRRP!"

Here are a pair of adolescent males, looking very scruffy, with their adult feathers only half grown-in.

I like the idea of a new generation of blackbirds, running around the garden and getting into scraps. So I went back into the house and put out some more sultanas for them. 

And then I went to work. How I wish I could spend the day watching blackbirds instead. 

S.