Evil Plotting Pigeon

*big for expression*

Sad start to the day finding out that one of our chooks, Holly, the little Speckledy, died overnight. She'd been a little under the weather a while back, but all sorted with some stuff from the vet, but yesterday she spent virtually the whole day in the nestbox. There was a glimmer that she might just be going broody, but Mel went out to check on her this morning and she was gone.

She wasn't quite two years old, so a little before her time should have come, but chickens are strange beasts and there's no real telling (by comparison Skye is now more than four years old, still laying pretty much every day, and more than that she remains at the top of the pecking order and in beautiful condition).

The day has, at least, had some nice moments, and not yet over (and there is still some chocolate and cardamom sponge and mousse cake, topped with homemade honeycomb, possibly the best dessert I've yet managed, left over for after dinner). But Holly will be missed, she seemed the most intelligent of the flock, the one who would follow you as you gardened, and got into the habit of waiting by the greenhouse door for Mel to throw her a tomato.

Let sleeping foxes lie
Thrush close-up
SingingDunnock (similarly over-exposed (deliberately!) for the effect)
Ramped Blue (our second Bluebelle / Mendlesham Blue chook)