Glancing out of the back room window at the heavy downpour that would have surprised any witnesses to the dappled sunshine preceding it, I caught a glimpse of a bird failing to find shelter on the fence under my neighbours oak.

I’m sure you’ll forgive me for assuming it was one of our local pigeons who must be descended from a noble line of king pigeons or something as demonstrated by Ethelstan the third* pictured left.

*names have been changed

On second glance it was something slightly fiercer. It’s a shame she didn’t turn to face me completely because sparrow hawks have beautiful mottled breast pattern.

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