Henrik

Henrik the Herring Gull is starting to develop his winter plumage.  In the summer he has a white head and neck, but over the Winter his head and and neck will be streaked with brownish feathers.  The pink legs help to distinguish this gull from the very similar Yellow-legged gull, which, by some stage quirk of fate has, you guessed it, yellow legs. 

Although quite a common bird in our neck of the woods, I rather like the way all its feathers are on display as it comes in to land here, looking for all the world like some herald for the end of the world.  Mind you, if people in government don't start treating climate change seriously in the very near future, he might well be the herald of doom.

In other news some bloke called Charles Philip Arthur George has now been proclaimed Charles III.  To misquote Monty Python, I didn't vote for him, but if he can help encourage the current Government to focus on starting to actively sort out the mess we are currently in, rather than add to it, then I for one would be prepared to cheer.