Williamson's Weekly Nature Notes

What complicated clothes they have to wear. And they have to change the lot, all 20,000 items, every summer. And don't they skulk and sulk for months while they do it.

Even when they have finally got the complete ensemble, all neat and new and tickerdeboo, they have to spend hours every day re-arranging them. There can't be a more time- wasting wardrobe in the world. Trouble is, each feather has hundreds of zips. They come undone all the time, so they have to be zipped back up again.

Look at them under the microscope and you will see them. Feathers have barbs, barbs have barbicels, barbicels have hooks, thousands of hooks.

What complicated clothes they have to wear. And they have to change the lot, all 20,000 items, every summer. And don't they skulk and sulk for months while they do it.

Even when they have got the final ensemble, all neat and new and tickerdeboo, they have to spend hours every day rearranging them. There can't be a more time wasting wardrobe in the world. Trouble is, each feater has hundreds of zips. They come undone all the time , so they have to be zipped back up again.

Look at them under the microscope and you will see them. Feathers have barbs, barbs have barbicels, barbicels have hooks, thousands of hooks.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette May 7