Kleptomaniac

Some people can't leave anything alone. You'll like this! I had a certain item delivered to me that was left outside but behind a locked gate. It was due to be packaged up and sent on to someone else but before I could get round to it, it disappeared! Someone half-inched it. You're probably thinking that it's not that unusual for certain people to steal things that are left unattended, after all crime happens everywhere, and kleptomaniacs can't help it. Your also probably wondering what it was that was stolen. It wasn't valuable, money wise, but it would have been welcomed by the person it was going to be sent to. I'll put you out of your misery now - it was a.............wait for it........a dead Whinchat in a plastic bag. What did they want to steal that for?!! Why would anyone want a dead Whinchat? A friend of mine has a skull collection of birds and mammals. I've managed to get a couple of good one for him over the last few years - a male Crossbill (roadkill), a male Black Grouse, Short-eared Owl, Purple Sandpiper etc. It's a superb display that he has but he hasn't got a Whinchat though. The Whinchat flew into a window, by the way, got bagged up and then stolen. It's a crazy world we live in.
On a happier note, our Swallows have fledged today. The parents have been ferociously defending the nest that was built under the entrance porch to the hotel next door. Every time people were going in and out the parents would fly at them, screaming, beak wide open like they could swallow you whole. Very effective though. This photo was yesterday evening.........and this shot was taken this morning. Four baby Swallows aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!