Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds.....

Disaster, we've been robbed!

Turns out the local bird population has something of a penchant for spring wheat.
The initial suspects were the pigeons:

However they are probably too plump to fly already so had minimal impact.

The local magpies did seem to be exhibiting some quite lustrous plumage:

I wonder whether that's the effect of a high-protein diet.....?

Real-bread is still something of a niche pursuit:

"I wonder what this token netting is supposed to do?"

But the real culprit is thought to be:

Turns out blackbirds are considerably more effective at reverse-dibbing than humans are at dibbing, but then I suppose they have had a lot more practice.
Anyhow maybe kharma is in evidence - perhaps birds can be coeliacs too?

At least I have plenty of grain left and it's hopefully not too late in the season to replant....this time with a rigorously enforced no-fly zone ;-)