20 OCTOBER 1944, Page 14

The Trooping of the Birds

Now that the bustle of the swallows' departure is over, one can notice what is happening amongst the other birds. Most of them are going into their long winter conference. I watched a committee meeting of wagtails round the lily pond this morning. Its members strutted about, up and down, hands under coat-tails, but when I opened the window to hear what the agenda might include, they all flew off to settle out of hearing on the newly sown and harrowed field. A kestrel has been lurking over that field during the last few days, watching, maybe, the heavy traffic of magpies lumbering across from the cherry to the apple orchard. I wonder why they are so busy?