Robin

A couple of things you should know about me: I fall in love all the time and I like being teased. Right now I'm falling in love and being teased simultaneously by the same character. He seems quite cocky but I like his confidence. I think he's had me in his sights for a while now.  He has this habit of whistling loudly when he sees me and a way of making sure I notice him by crossing my path frequently whenever he can and making eye contact with me briefly but very obviously before disappearing again to watch me from a distance. That's the teasing bit. He's like: “ You can look but you can't touch”. (Well, mate, I'd love to touch you if you'd just let me...)  Sometimes he even sings!

This morning he was particularly obvious, when he flew straight across in front of me, landed on the bird table just a few inches away where I'd been topping up the feeders, and later on he perched on the branch of the buddleia right outside my window and stared in at me through the glass, almost taunting me to react to his pluckiness.

We are only just getting to know each other but we have a connection and I love him already.  I've loved a few of his kind in the past too -  had them eating out of my hand ;-)

Now harmless youngsters, ye are free!

Yet stay awhile and sing to me;

And make these sheltered bounds your home,

Nor towards those dangerous meadows roam.

Your ruddy bosoms pant with fear

But no dark snare awaits you here.

No artful note of tame decoy

Shall lure you from your native joy.

These blossom shrubs are all your own,

And lawns with sweetest berries strewn;

And when bleak winter thins your store,

This friendly hand shall furnish more;

Nor shall my window shutters fold

Against my robins numb with cold.

Thomas, Lord Erskine, 1798