I often have the neighbours’ cat sitting in my old apple tree, waiting to catch a bird or two. I usually chase him away – but not yesterday…

I was out in the garden, weeding and giving some new soil to my flower beds, when something in the big hawthorn tree caught my eye.

I got my camera out and zoomed in the strange bird in the magpie nests…

Not afraid of heights…hanging between the two nests…

…taking the leap across…

…and back again. But the magpies were gone – too late for the party!

Mr Stealth sat pondering the situation for some seconds…

…and decided to leave.

And so he did – as elegantly as only a cat can do.

Why did I not chase him away then? Not only for the photo series…but because I do hate those magpies. They may be beautiful to look at, but they multiply each year and they eat all my little summer birds. When they are ready to leave their houses – the magpies are waiting for them. Only for a few seconds the little ones’ eyes see this magical world.