And a heron in a cherry tree

Today's the day .......................... for garden birds

A heron is quite a difficult garden bird to get your head round.

For a start it's enormous - way too big to be sitting in a tree.  It's very sensitive to its surroundings and wary of strange noises.  This one was about to land in our garden, until it saw us at the window - and then it veered off to land next door.  But on the other hand, it has to be the most audacious, bold-as-brass creature to be anywhere near a garden in the middle of a town.  It probably remembered that it had already cleaned out our pond of any fish some time ago - and it's too early for a frog takeaway just yet.

Meanwhile, further down the garden, there was another little visitor that always looks as if he's up to no good.  It's that mask that gives him away every time .........................