Cheep cheep cheep 
I took this photo on our balcony when we lived in Neuchatel. Isn't he a cutie? But I was thinking how rarely I photograph birds. And the reason is, they are so difficult to capture. Not literally - but on film. Just as you've switched your camera on and framed the shot, they're gone! They are so quick! So, I did manage a half-decent photograph here, because I had an almost captive audience in this newly baked loaf of bread.
Anway, yesterday; I was just grabbing my bedsheet which had been drying in the garden, when something tiny fluttered from the fabric. It then kind of spluttered into our hedge. On closer inspection I realized I had startled a baby-teenage sparrow, which then kicked up a fierce squeaking. It was very cute. It had one of those splatted beaks - you know with that yellow-baby outline, that presumably disappears over time. I chatted to it for a while. Then left it in peace, to squeak to its mum or dad.
Then, Axle (our dog) came lolloping into the garden, wondering who I was talking to. He looked at me inquiringly. I told him I was talking to a baby bird. He walked right past the baby bird and didn't see it. Then he sat down and began rolling about in the sun. I watched the pair of them for a while. The bird sensibly decided to shut up squeaking. Then I left them to it, thinking what a great protector Axle would be for that baby bird. After a time the baby bird began squeaking again, but Axle was far too relaxed to pay any heed.
It's just it amazes me how relaxed the birds are with our dog. Somehow they know, it isn't a cat, or dangerous like a cat. In fact, they make a point of coming down to feed at the bird table when he's close by. Quite sweet really.
You can just see a couple of birds on our bird table, having a happy time with some bread. And there's Axle chewing his bone.
We have trained him to (reluctantly) chase a cat, if one's in the garden. But what's the point of having a dog, if you can't train him to deter a cat from eating a bird? I say reluctantly, because really he can't be bothered to run and chase it. He'd much rather lie on the grass and eat a doggy chew, or just generally lie, without any particular purpose! He does chase the odd cat, but looks at us as if to say: 'why?' But, since he's learnt he gets a treat out of it, he sometimes chases with the real gusto of a younger dog!
Scares the shit out of the cat though! There are a lot of cats here in the country. And they do act like they own the place (maybe they do) They stroll around, meeting other cats for chats. They sit in fields, watching grasshoppers, until they can be bothered to pounce. Then they (deliberately, I'm sure) wait until you are driving through, to dart across the road, when they know they could've waited. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against cats. I mean most of us eat meat. But I'll never forget when I was a child, seeing a cat playing with a baby bird. Maybe, that's why I'm allergic to cats. In protest.
Well, no harm is ever done to the cat - but you should see the expression on its face - when it thinks it has the garden to prowl all to itself, because Axle isn't always in the garden! Sometimes, he likes to do the same thing in the house - i.e lie around inside.
It is quite handy that he's a laid-back dog though, because he still has this sports injury on his leg. I think he did it climbing a set of very steep steps. So, I'm calling it a 'sports-injury' because it sounds more impressive for Axle. It is getting better very slowly. So, I have to make sure he doesn't really play with his favourite ball. But it is difficult. Because every now and then, he runs into the garden and sits next to his favourite ball, looking at me fixedly. 
Axle has actually got one cat buddy. She lies in the grass, much like him, not bothering to run when approached. He usually comes up and sniffs her nose. And she seems to like him doing that. She just sits there, and sniffs his giant nose in return. But she never budges an inch. Then we resume the doggy-walk. And I'm sure she's told her catty friends that he's not a chasing menace. Because none of the other cat neighbours can be bothered to run, when he appears either. Or maybe, cats are just a good judge of character. Perhaps you should take your cat on your date. See what he thinks.