An apparently wingless Robin

I had to blip before my imminent evening Council meeting, which I am chairing, because after it finishes I have to then drive to London. I am working in Tufnell Park, North London, for a couple of days.

Helena has had a day off, and while I was in the cabin snapping at the birds to try to get some shots of them in flight, she has been chatting to her sister T. in Bahrain via video Skype.

I rattled off a hundred shots, in the gloomy light, and through the double glazed windows of the cabin door. Not ideal conditions and the results aren't brilliant either. But you get a flavour at least.

I emailed four possible shots to T. in Bahrain and she has just now chosen this one, of a Robin flying to towards the camera apparently without wings, whilst the Goldfinch pecks on regardless. In the other shots were greenfinches, tits and other goldfinches. In all of them, this goldfinch didn't move a muscle except its jaws. Where does it put all the seed? The other odd question is how a Robin can use this bird feeder at all, since they are traditionally supposed to be ground feeders only. They are obviously intelligent and good learners. No SATS for them, or half-terms.

ps
T. says life is fairly settled now in Manama, Bahrain, and the scene at the Pearl Roundabout (it was never a Square) has become more like a music festival, with many people camping out. She also suggests that the reporting has been fairly inexact at times and the media output is not representative. Some of the reports of tallies of injuries are also wrong, since some were caused as a result of 'friendly fire' by other protesters. I don't think that is likely to be the case in Libya.

pps
I will have to back-blip on Thursday, probably. Any commenting will have to be done by my iPod Touch, as my venerable old laptop has expired.