Wilful Missing - Unsinkable Sailor album clip

Unsinkable Sailor, our new album, is out on 22 April. Preorder it now.
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BIRD WATCHING UPDATE - now lots of you [who ARE you talking to?! ED] know I am a birder , not I repeat NOT a TWITCHER! A birder, that is someone who really enjoys birds amongst the wildlife flora and fauna of our fair land. I am especially fond of the little creatures in my tiny and I MEAN tiny back garden. With a little help from the hard work of my wife who has constructed wild areas of logs and twigs and regularly hanging feeders of fat and seeds we have had am extraordinary range of birdlife visit.

Here are two notebook updates largely about Spring and the resurgence of wildlife and mating behaviours . . . . . . . . you have been warned it's steamy stuff!

Sat 26th March

Again the dunnocks on the back lawn mating at exactly the same time of day as last time I caught them, er I mean chanced across them! Exactly the same place! I wish I could film it or photograph but it is so delicate and they are so quick. So funny and delightful!

The female emerged from the little ground cover bush (do they live it in?) and then after a few minutes she was joined by the male (me having thought well it won't happen again - not for a third time!) and then I thought she is about to make her dance and hey presto the male appears and goes through his little routine too. This time they were facing North and I could see more detail n the female which I will spare a description here, remarkably graphic in some ways and he took about 5 minutes maybe slightly less and I thought she was going to give up but then resumed her fervour and up he stepped and a split second and he's done. She flies off to a branch and he disappeared momentarily back into the bush she looking somewhat disheartened (I know I shouldn't anthropomorphise but it is irresistible!) and stayed on her branch for a while and he has resurfaced and is hopping around the plants pots . . . . .amazing, same time same place, will retry to set camera ready next time

Sunday 20th and gain on the 19th March

I noticed this one 11.00am

"Had a pair of Dunnocks mating in the back garden just now, earlier  . . .the MOST beautiful thing, ornate extraordinary behaviour, she, shaking her tail feathers, head dipping down and hopping into different positions like three points of the compass and he hopping to follow her 'dance' in sequence, a wonderful and timeless dance and then up he hopped onto her, “treading" doesn't cover it, the blink of an eye and the job was done . . .! . . . Hilariously quick ('twas always thus . . .chaps please note ha ha ha!) literally the blink of an eye and he was gone. . Hopped off! . . .Split second . . . . She stood and as if in shock for a little second, SO funny and they then spent the rest of the afternoon as dusk is falling just hopping around our flower pots . . . . Truly a wonderment and thing of astonishing beauty,  a sheer delight . . . . . . .