A Loving Song

We are lucky enough to have one of the most musical Song Thrushes that I've heard spending most of it's time in the tree by my study. It is only when it is that close that you can appreciate first how loud it is and secondly how complex the song it. I'm sure it is nesting close by, but I haven't found the nest yet. The Song Thrush's scientific name is Turdus philomelos. Turdus, is the Latin for thrush, and the specific epithet refers to a character in Greek mythology, Philomela, who had her tongue cut out, but was changed into a singing bird. Her name is derived from the Ancient Greek philo- (loving), and melos (song).

The Great Tits are nesting in one of the House Sparrow boxes under the eaves of the house. They are very secretive and hard to see on their visits, but the young have now reached the noisy stage. This one spent some time inspecting the washing line and pegs, I guess it is a favourite place for spiders and this may be what the Great Tit was finding.

Orange Tips are still around the garden. While the males are obvious, the females are less so, except for the dappled underwing, which I failed to get a picture of today.