and a young man's fancy ...

As we've already discussed this week, one of the signs of Spring is the re-emergence of all things brown-and-slithery

a much more pleasant harbinger is the arrival of some of the more transient birds:

This young fella was very taken with his own reflection in my 'less than pristine' kitchen window this morning and spent about half an hour trying to persuade the bird in the glass that he would be an entirely desirable and admirable mate.

Even my careful approach with the camera didn't do anything to cool his ardour - when I was about 6" away from him I may as well not have been there
and even when MissC discovered him
and went into full stalking mode, he mostly ignored her only taking flight momentarily each time that she rushed the glass

According to my bird books he is a Striated Pardalote [ left of the page ] isn't he a gorgeous young dandy ?

and if you scroll back up to that second photo you may just be able to see the tiny red spot on his wing

and I think we can take it as read which of this week's visitors was the more welcome !