Catkins

Steady rain kept me indoors for most of the day. Then, late in the afternoon, it stopped and Coco and I put our noses outside. Coco raced around with excitement, full of pent up energy. The sky was lightening in the west and the birds were singing loudly. A blackbird scuttled into the trees with its characteristic chatter and the robin was twittering its sweet call. Over this familiar chorus was a new almost tropical sound. The parakeets have moved in.
These noisy small parrots have spread out from an origin near Richmond, Surrey. They have been in a neighbouring village for several years and now at last they have arrived here. I'm not sure whether I welcome them, they are so noisy! But they are very pretty.
While I was out there I blipped these lovely catkins.