I love my cats dearly but although domesticated  and pampered pets, instinctively they are predators and can be vicious killers...

I thought at first it was a Goldfinch but the colouring was different and after some perusal of my birdwatcher's guides I think it might be a Siskin, a bird I have heard of but I had never seen one before. I sincerely hope it is not a Serin which has very similar colouring but is very rare in the UK and is unheard of in the north of England. Given the number and spread of Siskins my money is on that, although there is a ring on one of the legs. I did wonder why Maisie was excitedly rolling around that spot the other day and I can't say it was one of our four cats as there are several others that hang around the garden. There is a huge black and white bruiser which we suspect causes our two Toms some anxiety but there is also smaller black and white and ginger and white cats that cheekily pop by to pinch food if the kitchen door is open!

I got some quality build time at the table first thing this morning and made some good progress on the little Fiat CR 42 biplane. I brush painted desert yellow on the upper parts and a light grey below with a bright yellow on the engine cowling. Once dried a clear coat of pledge polish and today olive green and Nato brown brush painted on. I have another Italian WW2 aircraft in the stash, a Caproni CA 311 reconnaissance aircraft but I have finally ordered another Italian plane, a CANT Z1007 'Alcione' which has been on my favourites list for a couple of years. It is quite rare to find so spotting one at a good price and with free postage I was on it.

 

Leaving it to dry and I tackled the garden, grass cutting, clearing some weeds and that was when I discovered the dead bird. I kept the work to an hour only as yesterday my hay fever was off the scale and I felt very unwell with an early bedtime for a Saturday night! A pot of coffee, a hot shower to wash away any pollen and a Piriton tablet should help keep things controlled. Many of the seeds are sprouting  and there should be a good number of chilli and tomato plants to transplant come May into the raised bed and several pots. Next weekend will see me getting rid of a load of garden waste that has piled up over the last few months which will allow me space to get in and repair the fence.

Now to look forward to a lazy afternoon and my usual Sasquatch podcasts, possibly an afternoon nap as Piriton knocks me out.

TTFN.