We woke this morning to a pre-summer warmth. Already the temperature is creeping upwards and a stiff northerly breeze is now blowing, but this morning a slight breeze lightly played upon my face as I stepped outside the door.

I was greeted by Willy Wagtail. A cheeky and irreverent bird with a defiant tail and laughing eyes who demanded my attention by its constant flitting on the lawn. Willy Wagtails never stay long in the garden; only a few minutes but long enough to test my sense of humour and my value as a spectator as this one played the usual game. This morning visitor was in fine form. He limbered up with a conventional routine of hops and tail waves and short stepping dances. Then, within a few yards from where I was standing he did an effortless serious of about-facing hops. I almost clapped and called for more and if a bird can grin this wagtail did before he gave me another startling display of movement and with what seemed like a quick bow he was gone and once gain the garden returned to its normal serenity