The Common Brown Bird

Had some chores first thing, that kept me busy until lunchtime. In the afternoon I was watching a female black cap in the garden (who incidentally has a brown cap rather than the male's black cap), but by the time I grabbed the camera she had flown off. I waited but she didn't return and I was left watching this female blackbird, picking up scraps beneath the feeder. I love the intricacy of the patterning of birds plumage and despite the overall brown colouration, when you get this close you can see the patterning.

I did look out to the west after twilight to look at the grand planetary parade, but it really was never going to make a good astro-photograph, so I reverted to this image of the blackbird.