Let me count the ways....

We have had a pheasant and one of his purported harem visiting our garden in the last few weeks. He comes, he bashes on our window with his beak and he noisily gobbles up our sunflower hearts. If she's lucky, he shouts to his mate, who then may, just may, also get a look in. She hasn't been around for a couple of days...we wonder if she's 'sitting' somewhere.

I just love the detail of his face - the teeny, tiny red feathers.

Recently I looked out of the window and here he was, thrashing and wallowing in the dirt at the bottom of the garden, looking for all the world as though he was about to expire.....

....only for him to suddenly ruffle up his feathers and flick his wings in the most glorious and energetic dust bath.

This went on for about twenty minutes - near death rolls and twitches and then a sudden series of wonderful, filthy flourishes.

And this little chap is determinedly aerating our lawn early every morning. I've taken these photos through glass and with a 300mm zoom lens, so they're not that sharp, but they'll do for now.