Ready and waiting ...

The ancient holly tree at the bottom of our garden is now laden with berries. I shall have to make the most of their rich, vibrant splash of colour because, in a few weeks’ time, I’m expecting the annual influx of redwings, who pay a fleeting visit, strip it of all its fruit, and then disappear as quickly as they arrived. 

How is it possible for their brains to be wired to know exactly to which bush to return each year? It’s an amazing feat, especially as they have probably travelled hundreds, if not thousands, of miles to land on this particular bush. And how does the navigational information get passed on between the avian generations? Nature never fails to amaze, astonish and delight me.