I went to the zoo...

 ... and one of the first things I photographed was this:

So it may seem strange to pay for entry to a zoo and then photograph a bird that i could photograph almost anywhere else however when an opportunity arises it is important to take it.

I actually really like Jackdaws, I think they are a very handsome bird, they are alert and curious too. Their striking blue eyes really stand out against their glossy plumage.

It was nice towards the end of my visit to also see the pair of birds on a branch, I think the male was definitely trying to impress his mate, but she was playing it very cool.

Solution

 Yesterday I posted a couple of close up images and asked you to try to guess what it was. No one actually tried to guess but never mind. Here is the solution to the puzzle I set.

It is a rather handsome cock pheasant that was strolling along a woodland path as I was walking back to my car. I was used to seeing hundreds of these as a teenager in the fields around my home in Lincolnshire. I don't see so many where I live now but I am always impressed by their stunning plumage.