Fathers' Day

Today is Fathers' Day, always thought of as a human celebration, but I'm suggesting we should also be thinking of fathers in other animal groups who have every bit as hard a time bringing up their young as we do, like the birds who come in to our garden.

The tits are very active with their families at the moment, one bluetit father having to look after four demanding children, while this male great tit only has one in his charge. The young one is perfectly capable of feeding off the peanut dispenser but, hey!, why go to the trouble when Dad will do it for you?

The garden's dominant male blackbird, despite having had ready access to the masses of food we put out, only seems to have one child in tow, though it's already as big as he is and very demanding indeed.

Most young look cute and appealing but this wren baby looks like the child from hell. His parent was going demented in a nearby bush while he studiously ignored my approach. It was as if he fully expected his Dad to see off the human threat.

So - to all bird fathers, have a happy Fathers' Day!