Bee Eater

Walked in the Central Park discretely watching many courting couples who were sitting under the trees or on benches.   Many were sitting apart as society dictates but others were holding hands or leaning against one another.  It was a happy place with lots of birds singing loud enough to be heard above the distant traffic and the little squirrels chittering away and playing grandmother's footsteps with their fellows and even birds.

Further on near the museum I came upon a huge colony of brown rats living in a warren covering at least half an acre (my landlady, who had no idea they existed,  said someone would probably soon build a temple there to Ganesha, the Elephant God, for the rat is his 'vehicle').  I thought I was fearfullly brave to be standing amongst them - I actually photographed 3 of them sniffing my shoes but they were difficult to capture as one would always be on the move.  The most I managed to catch in one frame was 18.  They weren't frighted of anything - stray dogs walked past, pigeons joined them in their search for food, a discarded orange coloured ice cream cornet was gathered up with speed and rushed to a hole but proved too large to take in and it sat there blocking the hole until I retrieved it for another try at photographing the sequence.  There was a definite heirarchy and lots of fighting and chasing away from titbits left by passers by and there was one rat who had been savagely attacked by something but he was giving as good as he got so will probably survive. Too many good pictures to choose from tonight - might go back and have another go at the rats tomorrow but I just adore these beautiful little bee eaters and don't get close to them very often.