A golden mindful moment’s bedroom-window birding

Stopping for even a minute or two and looking out of the window can be surprisingly rewarding.

This morning, shortly after waking up, I was hit by stomach pain, most likely a minor side effect from Sertraline, my new antidepressant, which I started a week ago.

I tried having some breakfast and the stomach ache hadn’t subsided, so I went back to bed and read two chapters of Scarlett Moffatt’s autobiography, which my daughter, Rosie, has been insisting I read for ages. It was a good read and helped me relax. Continuing this self-care theme, I heeded another frequent instruction from my wise girl and had a hot bath, with some salt crystals she got me for Christmas.

I can never get the temperature of a bath quite right, and eventually emerged having almost boiled myself. I sat on the bed and looked out of the open window. The sky was bright blue – not a cloud in sight.

My attention was caught by four or five crows cawing as they flew past, then further off I saw two larger birds, circling high – Buzzards.

And immediately something else; a sight I haven’t seen from home before. A small cloud of gold glittered, sparkled and shimmered in the sun as it crossed the sky. Golden Plovers. I couldn’t count them – didn’t try. As the birds twisted and turned, the gold sometimes turned to gleaming white. I watched them until they disappeared from view, and marvelled at my good fortune, being able to witness this from my bedroom window.

As I sit writing this on my phone with the back door open, a frantic splashing sound has distracted me… A male Blackbird is loudly enjoying a bath in our tiny pond, dug last summer. Clearly it’s a good day for baths and bird-based mindful moments.

Can you spot the Blackbird?

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