Whilst getting ready for school – our youngest daughter (Kai-Lin) – heard a “knocking” outside our bedroom window in our first-floor flat (the window is more or less in-line with the treetops nearby). When Gee pulled-back the curtain (it was around 8 am) to everyone’s surprise – there was what looked like a juvenile Woodpecker attempting to develop a head of steam through its inexperienced pecking! Normally, we only ever hear these birds “out of sight” as it were, but even then, only at a considerable distance (usually in woodland or nears forests) – but I have never seen such a rural bird landing within a city context.
It seems to be, given its young age, that it must have hatched nearby. Of course, Sutton has plenty of street-trees and nearby parks – so this might be a high possibility – even though it is unusual. Interestingly, the older Mei-An had gone to school about 15 minutes earlier – and had not seen anything. Perhaps the bird had left its nest in a nearby park and flown a little too-far – before landing outside our flat to get its bearings. We take these things to be a blessing – a sort of happy coincidence! What a beautiful thing to see first thing in the morning!
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 