Showing off its colours

Today one of the birds visiting the weeping willow that we look out on from our balcony was this Magpie. It spent some time preening with its back turn away but then it turned around and showed us the beautiful colours of its wings and tail.

I'm glad I managed to take some photos while waiting for the kettle to boil for our breakfast tea because I didn't have a second time for it the rest of the day. Some degree of tidying up had to be done before my brother arrived just before lunch time for an early celebration of mum's birthday. Her birthday isn't until Tuesday but my brother won't be able to join us then as he has to work. Mum isn't mobile enough anymore to go out for a meal so we had a lovely Chinese take away at home instead.

It was still very warm today but not as unbearably hot anymore as it has been the last couple of days.

Thank you so much for all the comments and stars on yesterday's Blackbird blip.