India Blue

I watched peacock preening and was blown away.

Our new India Blue Peacock is Mr Popples. He hid in the garden, popping his violet blue head up now and then to surprise me. Trying to get to work in the morning, he realised he could block my way to the garage. Demanding food for rite of passage, he became the gatekeeper. The bird was out of favour.

Then I saw him preening; cleaning each plume with meticulous care.

He would inflate, then deflate; puffing up and out like breathing.

He would bow, twist his long, snaking neck, then raise his head again.

Each tail feather ran through his beak from base to tip.