Female Chaffinch

The author Oliver Goldsmith was out walking in a park with his children one lovely autumn day when he saw the lady in front bend down to pick up the shiny green shell of a Horse Chestnut. Ah ha! he thought, that will be the title of my new novel "She Stoops to Conker" (except he spelt it wrong).

Whilst sitting in the garden watching the birds flit between the feeders and the bird bath, they suddenly scattered in all directions and I saw what looked like a pigeon dive behind the Acer, except it was male sparrowhawk. I don't know whether it came out empty clawed but didn't hear any squawks of distress. However, even with my camera in my hand I couldn't get a picture.

I caught this lovely lady chaffinch having a quiet moment on the bird bath a little later on, maybe reflecting on a near death experience.