Sunbathing.

I spotted this male Blackbird sunbathing today. I had my camera in the van so was able to get a photograph. As a part of routine feather maintenance, the bird adopts a posture in which the body feathers are fluffed up the wings are held out from the body, with feathers spread.

It is thought that for the bird using the sun does two things – It helps preen oil to spread across the feathers and drives parasites out from their plumage.