Squirrel Sentinel

A flock of birds go across over the rooftops, and they keep flowing along until, for a second or so, the whole of the square of sky I can see through the lounge window is filled with silhouettes of birds. I'm pretty sure they're not starlings - redwings or fieldfares perhaps?

A seedling is growing in a clump of cushion moss on the garage roof. It might be something that has grown from bird seed or possibly at tree seedling that has found its way there.

What is that squirrel doing? Just sitting on the shed, apparently doing nothing in particular, except looking like a rather fat penguin.

Another squirrel scampers across the lawn. The movement reminds me of the needle in a sewing machine, bobbing up and down along a seam. There's a pause and an exchange of looks, western gunfighter style, but then the second squirrel climbs the trellis and hops into the hedge to raid next door's bird table (for probably the one hundredth time this morning, and it's still only breakfast-time), while the squirrel sentinel decides that there's probably something else it ought to be doing instead of standing on the apex of the shed like a furry grey gargoyle.

Leaves, including a lot from the large oak three doors up the road, have gathered around the drain by the garage door. Thank goodness I've got the drain boxed over.

It's been so warm and wet this autumn: the lawn needs cutting again.

Richard Bell, richard@willowisland.co.uk