Last Wednesday’s weather was dreich. (Are you familiar with that word? It’s Scottish English, a word I learnt when married to a Scotsman and from having lived for a few years in Scotland. It means bleak and dreary, and is the perfect descriptive for much of our recent weather.)

Back to last Wednesday … it was too bleak even for me to go out walking so, while sitting at my dining table/desk, deliberately placed by my living room windows for maximum external views, I had one eye on any wildlife activity happening outside.

Though the berries on this Buckthorn tree had looked ripe for a week or more, the birds chose this particular day to begin selecting the most juicy plump fruit to eat. As I watched, first male and female Blackbirds flew in and began scoffing the berries. Then, the Woodpigeons turned up, the branches of the tree drooping and swaying under their weight. And, lastly, a handsome Song thrush appeared to join in the feast.

As my photos were taken through rain-covered double-glazed windows, they’re not very sharp but I thought they were still worth sharing. Watching all these beautiful birds certainly cheered a very grey day.