A twitter in the twigs

There has been a spate of hatchings in the hedgerows, if all the young birds in the garden are anything to go by. In the early morning light, I sit on my deck overlooking the old gum tree with the sea beyond, waiting for a photo opportunity, either with the dawn light on a breaking wave or the early morning preening of the birds.
The smaller birds can alight on a twig, but the young black-headed heron prefers to stalk around outside the gate, with its comical back-and-forth lunging of the head movement. We have had a fairly resident heron in the field next door over the last 30 years, but this is the first time I have seen one that still has its juvenile markings. It was quite unconcerned by my presence and was in no hurry to leave, so I had plenty of time to enjoy its graceful beauty.

Birds appear to have no preference for the company they keep, and will happily share the same branch. The exception is when the sparrowhawks (black and red-breasted) or even the peregrine falcon arrive, which causes a mass exodus of birdlife from the tree as they scatter in every direction, a source of great amusement for me. Sometimes the raptor scores a direct hit overhead and then there are more feathers fluttering from the sky than you could ever believe a little bird requires. But in between these raids, life continues at a more leisurely pace in the treetops.