Sleek and Shabby

Blackbirds are in peak condition sleek and alert to the demands of family raising. Both male and female came very close, keen to grab the morning goodies from the wall before competition from others hotted up. Then they were off into the bushes, keeping low.

Red deer are quite the opposite in spring. They will be at their best for breeding in autumn. The shabbiness now is due to losing the extra layers of hair that have kept the cold off their backs in winter.

They turn their heads and pull out tufts leaving dark patches on the coat. By late June and into July the familiar reddish colour will be on display.

By then many bird parents will be showing signs of tiredness after an exhausting struggle to feed their young; plumage may become scruffy and will have lost its sheen. As of now this robin is as handsome as in December.