William M Henry Davies, the poet, wrote in his poem “Leisure” that we “have no time to stand and stare”.

But as the pandemic has given many of us more time in the home, I often stare at the antics of the bird population.

Echo readers may well recall my letter, published in July, about a hygiene-conscious blackbird who spends ages having a good weekly bath in one of our large drinking bowls near the avian feeding stations.

Recently, a newly-arrived robin has been watching the lengthy water-flapping blackbird.

So before I have chance to change the “bath” water the robin, obviously trying to save water, jumps in and mimics what she or he has just witnessed.

It looks like I might have a queue of bathers and will have to put down two-metre markers.

RON KIRBY

Dorchester