Barbs, birds and bongos in blackpropaganda

At last we are getting into the nitty gritty of the Uk election - manifestos being presented (although nothing really new in any of the programmes) - and at last some movement away from the personal attacks which were happening last week.

Just thinking of that - goodness knows how Hillary Clinton has skin thick enough to cope with all the attacks on her - and if she goes on to run in 2016 the amount of personal vilification she is going to get - partly because she is a woman, partly because of her age, and partly because of her husband. But then - she has coped with all this for years.

Nature notes

There is a battle going on i the garden between two goldfinches - and two female greenfinches for the control of the niger seed container. I love the goldfinches for their fantastic plumage - silky feathers blowing in the breeze.

The female greenfinch is much plainer - and not green - she is on the left in the picture - but they have real tenacity in keeping the goldfinches off.

and for something completely different