June 20 2001

I'm in mourning......There's a load of magpie feathers out in the back garden. It looks like the cat has had his way with the poor innocent little bird. He probably just wasn't fast or alert enough. Lost his concentration I suppose. Another magpie came and stood amongst the scattered feathers and acted a little strangely. It was as though he recognised the smell of the feathers but couldnt figure out why the bird wasn't with them. He just stood there, now and again picking at a feather to check again and putting his head down low and out straight with his body almost down on the ground. A most peculiar stance for a magpie. He went away eventually but came back about 20 minutes later and went through the same routine again. I think they are a maligned bird. I doubt if our brain has the capacity to know why nature works in the way that it does. We will often work out the HOW but not too often the WHY. It's the business of philosophy but that has its limits too.