After a bit of seagull bother, I stopped putting food out for the magpies for a while, and chased away any persistent gull visitors until the balcony became a less popular destination.
Today I decided it was time to invite the magpies back. I put out some grapes and dried mealworms on the windowsill, a plateful of water in case they were thirsty, and the washing up bowl with a couple of inches of water in the bottom in case they needed a refreshing dip.
They loved it. Despite the windows being fully open and me lying there watching them from just a few feet away on the sofa, all three of them kept popping back throughout the day to hoover up their snacks and demand more.
It was lovely listening to them crunching on mealworms. I get similar happiness from listening to horses or sheep grazing in a field, or from hearing ducks and swans slurping up pondweed. There is something delightful, gratifying, in it.
(For some reason I do not find listening to humans eating quite as enchanting.)
There was plenty of activity at their water park too, only I couldn't see what they were up to down there without disturbing them so had to try and guess from the noises drifting in through the window.
That, and reading the entirety of Girl A by Abigail Dean, was the sum of the day's activities.
What worries me is that not only do I find it hard to take part in real life these days, but I can't remember why, pre-pandemic, I even wanted to.
Today's Photo: Stepping Up To The Plate
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