Procrastinating on a Summer Day

A few days ago I spotted some blue tit younglings nabbing bugs outside the front door. Knowing that taking photos through a window could be done (see Winter Bird Shenanigans), I fetched my camera and took some covert photos of the little birds. 

Looks like a good spot to find some spiders, or bugs. I've looked in there and found nothing. Hopefully little blue found what he was looking for.

Chained to his task. 

Cue Mission Impossible theme.

 Today I was doing what writers do best... no, not writing... procrastinating. I was standing outside staring at the clouds and wondering whether I should actually hang my washing on the line or leave it on the indoor dryer in the open garage. I had finally decided to put the washing on the line and was almost done when a mother duck and her seven ducklings walked in through the gate and waddled to the pond. So, abandoning my washing, I ran inside to fetch the camera. 

While the blue tits were fun to watch, the ducklings definitely win the cute fluffy bird award. Just look at this cutie standing on a lily pad. He's so fluffy.

Mother Duck was very good. She kept all her little ones close and kept talking to them with little plop sounds.

But she eventually let them explore their new environment and play hide and seek in the reeds and lily pad tag.

There's some food up there. He's sure of it.

There were other visitors to the pond this afternoon. A pair of gold finches having a bath, damsel flies (who strangely disappeared when the ducks arrived) and some bees and flies too.

I think Mother Duck was wise to keep her ducklings away from these two; they don't look too friendly.

The fly and the bee sat down for some tea

"Buzz," said the fly. "Buzz," said the bee.

I would never have made a good wildlife photographer for the BBC. I'm too impatient. I waited for that perfect shot of Mother Duck leading her ducklings out of the pond, I really did... but I got bored. And they somehow escaped... but while I was waiting I took a few flower shots. Just a few. 

Gorgeous shots of Jimmy and Tammy completed my afternoon of procrastination.