the birds in the garden

We've had to get used to a whole new set of bird song since we've moved.

At our old house we had chatty starlings, screeching seagulls and cronking crows.

We still have the sounds of crows, which I'm glad about. I love the corvid family, which I know is a controversial thing to say but they're handsome and intelligent.

Here, we have swallows that charm and annoy in equal measure. Od refused to clean out her guinea pigs last week because the swallows were flying so close to her head she was convinced one was going to hit her.

We have tiny little wrens that sing sweet songs threatening to spill the blood of a rival, their whole bodies quivering with the exertion of making sure their song is heard.

My favourite sound, and the one that gets me all goose bumpy, is the call of the red kite. It is the classic haunting sound of a bird of prey. If you want to hear it for yourself, click here. I should point out that our red kite doesn't sound exactly like that, but you will get the idea.

Yesterday I was sitting on the dock with a cup of tea, camera in hand when I heard the cry.

I looked up and saw this:


And I felt absolutely exhilarated by the presence of this beautiful and deadly (if you're a small mammal) bird.

There is magic here, I am sure.