Saturday 17 June 2023

Nesting in full sight

Jasmine arrived with a new umbrella in her luggage hoping for rain this week. They don't get much at home in Arizona, but it's been warm with clouds and sunshine again, with only the lightest of drizzle by day, and rain during the night instead. After breakfast, she acquainted herself with Owain's saxophone and tried out a few tunes with Clare on the piano.

After lunch we walked to Thompson's park, and were delighted to see a moorhen couple making a nest on the ornamental pond in the circular flower bed. The female may already be sitting on eggs. The male was wandering around, collecting leaves and bringing them back to line the nest, a bundle of stick perched on a lily pad. Normally moorhens are shy and make their nests in waterlogged reed beds. Maybe there are too many mallards taking up space on the main pond. Apart from floating on the water, several metres from the nearest spectators or predators, the birds are nesting in plain sight. Unusual to see, a lovely sight.

Owain was caught out, not realising there are no direct trains to and from Bristol today. National Express coaches were all full but he was able to book on a Megabus, and arrived at eight. We waited for him to arrive and then ate supper together in the garden, before another music making session. And then bed.

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