Four and twenty blackbirds

The other day, I counted twenty merles (blackbirds) feeding under our apple trees. I wonder where the other four went. They were picking through the fallen fruit looking for small insects and worms, I assume. They can see us watching them. If we make a sudden movement, including opening the curtains, they scatter to the taller trees for a minute or two before resuming their meal. We're happy to have them, helping to break down the apples and helping to keep the population of bothersome little critters under control.

Many fewer than twenty blackbirds on this day. Seen with a telephoto lens from the den.

I've got an early appointment at the lab this morning for une prise de sang (blood work). It's the routine every-couple-of-years blood checkup. I've been fasting since yesterday afternoon, as instructed. I'm also going to learn my groupe sanguin (blood type). The lab will only tell you what it is if your doctor asks them to. So I asked the doctor to do that. I haven't known my blood type since I was a kid in school. Whatever it is, I forgot it long ago.

This is the actual distance from the window to the birds. No zoom.