Cheeky chappie

There is an occasional ritual on morning walks with Cooriedog. As we pass a row of tress next to the road, hundreds of chaffinches fly out before us. It is a bit like a Mexican wave as we walk by. They fly across the path to the confer plantation with the larger windbreak trees a favoured destination.

Sometimes they fly low enough to catch Coorie's eye. She chases them. The birds fly off; she continues to chase them and introduces a bark or twenty to inform them she is still there. And so it goes on.

Eventually the birds turn back. And off we go again. In due course, the dog slows, the frequency of barks lessen, the mouth opens and the tongue hangs out. The birds resume their original positions in the trees, I continue the walk and I am grateful for the additional exercise for Coorie.

I sometimes wonder what Coorie would do if she caught up with one.