Bird Park, Sunday morning

As I've mentioned before, Minerva and her companion are not the only old birds that frequent the Bird Park but I have been watching them the longest. Minerva was quite the champion last year when she drove off a Magpie hassling a flock of smaller birds trying to eat at the feeder. This spring, I was shocked to see how much she aged over the winter.

Another old bird showed up here this morning, a small black one. Even its legs were spindly and that's saying something as all bird's legs are spindly anyway. Like the other old birds that come here, she had the ragged feathers, tottering gate and was just generally the worse for wear. I like to think that any old bird that finds its way to the Bird Park must be especially delighted knowing what a hard place the desert can be. The young ones who come here right out the egg have no idea.

Minerva and her companion with the wild feather sticking out of one of her wings just left. I tried capturing a little video of them for your viewing pleasure but, although they don't mind me watching them from my window, the second I raised my camera, off they went. Birds.