Sunday 10th July (Birds, Congregations and Churches)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window and was mildly surprised to see some blue sky and leaves on the trees that were not moving. The air was still and two Wood Pigeons cooed, a Swift was flying overhead and a Goldfinch sat on the telephone wire.

In the calm early morning air Mr. Kite took the three bags of empty beer bottles to the recycling. Overhead groups of Swifts screeched as they flew between the buildings. Being aerodynamic they resembled jet fighters; dark, slim, short curved wings, fast and manoeuvrable in flight.

Near the recycling two young birds followed their parents. One was a Wood Pigeon; the youngster was more grey, although it's breast was a warmer pink, and it did not have the white flashes on it's neck. The other bird was a Robin; identified by it's shape and the spotted chest that has not yet turned red. A family of Blackbirds fed in the bushes.

Now being Sunday some birds seemed to congregate on religious buildings. Jackdaws sat on The Abbey Church and sixteen Black-headed Gulls were perched on the roof of The Congregational Church in Coleham. This made Mr. Kite think about what birds would be seen on The Christadelphian Church? So Mr. Kite walked along the road back to The Dwelling stopping to see if there were any birds on The Christadelphian Church and there was. One Feral Pigeon was sitting on the roof. Mr. Kite wondered if birds preferred to perch on a church on a Sunday. Talking of congregations; that is the collective noun for a number of plovers; a congregation of plovers.

Today Mr. Kite was very lazy and sat in the chair watching the television. But he did do some bird-watching while he watched stage 9 of 'le Tour de France' from Issoire to Saint Flour. On the road from Paulhac to Neuveglise Mr. Kite had watched Short-toed Eagles this year; so as the race went along these great roads Mr. Kite looked for those eagles. But he did not see them.

Not to be disappointed Mr. Kite had a tipple of Morland "Old Speckled Hen"; Cheers from the lazy Mr. Kite.