Country diary: one feather does not describe a whole bird

Sandy, Bedfordshire: Quills that beat the air are battered beyond repair – the autumn moult is in full dropAugust is the feather month, when the sky is brought down to earth. Birds have worn out the summer: quills that beat the air are battered beyond repair; frayed coats cannot cover the winter to come. And so the autumn moult is in full drop. Related: Country diary: moulting birds leave treasure for collectorsContinue reading...