Day 12 - A Portrait of "Peg"

We have a pet blackbird ... well ok, he's not really a pet, but he has been coming to our garden to feed for well over two years, almost as long as we've lived here. We first noticed him in Summer 2009, as he has a severely damaged (probably broken) left leg; we named him "Peg-leg" but refer to him as just "Peg".

He has survived snow, gales and lashing rain - not to mention the protective mother of our pondful of ducklings last year!! - and we like to think that our feeding of him has helped his survival. He repays us, for several months of the year, with the most exquisite singing ... and a lot of entertainment!

One of his little games is to sit on a wall, fence or feeding tray next to a window and sit looking at us, cocking his head until we succumb and nip outside to give him a few extra raisins (clearly his favourite food!); another is chasing off any other birds (especially other blackbirds) that dare to come near HIS tray of raisins!

I was just thinking, a few moments ago, that I hadn't posted a photo today and wished I'd caught a shot of Peg this morning. As if in answer to my thoughts, he landed on the bird house and waited for me to get my camera and a few extra raisins, then posed nicely for me. (Can you see his dodgy leg?) He was only letting me have one photo, though ... I tried to get a better shot, but he kept moving to pick up the raisins every time, so this one will have to do. Thanks, Peg! :-))