April09

Friday, 3rd

Captain has been doing his trick of escaping from the enclosure again.

We have joined a group of walkers recently, and yesterday morning we gathered here, at our place, for a circular walk of about 4 miles. I was just getting ready when I could see Captain making his way along the fence, trying and trying to push through or underneath. As I'd closed the fence I didn't think he could make it, but the next thing I saw he was out and trying to pin down Rellchen. I rushed down and tried to chase him back, but the little idiot couldn't find where he'd got out.

I opened the fence and tried to guide him through, but he panicked and followed the others. I spent about 10 minutes chasing him round the little pond twice, into the frog pond and out again, through some flower beds and finally back into his "home" ground. I was out of breath by then - they're fast, the little tykes!

As I was hosting our group of walkers for lunch I didn't think any more about Captain .... until everybody had gone and we'd cleared the decks about half past 3. I was collecting all the bits and pieces for duck hut cleaning when I could see three drakes again, and Captain was being "escorted" away from BBD and Blob's 5 girls:

It's crazy how these boys organize their 'escorting', but in the photo above right Captain is actually in the middle, Blob ahead, and here on the left the two local lads have decided they've chased far enough and are preening themselves, while Captain just stands there looking around.

I came along with the wheelbarrow then and Captain actually stood by and waited for me to open the fence. Having found his three girls at the edge of the field behind their hut he dobbed down and went to sleep - must have been exhausted, he was likely out there all the time we were walking and then having lunch! He woke up briefly when I was taking these shots ....

.... and also when suddenly Blob and BBD came racing along on one of their raids [fence still open!]. I dropped the hose I was spraying the algae on the pond with to chase them back, the hose snaked and soaked the backs of my trousers, and I was MAD with the boys. They tried once more while I was cleaning the hut, but after that all was peace. I wondered if Captain, having had a tiring day trying to get back IN to his 3 girls, would be content today and stay within the duck pond enclosure. Was he heck! Out again first thing today, but he did find his own way back; so he had learned something.

Monday, 6th April 2009

Captain continues his forays out of and back into the electric fence enclosure [not switched on]. I've seen him slip through the larger holes in the netting with the greatest of ease. Have noticed no injuries to the ducks so far.

Saw a very peaceful scene looking out of the window after lunch yesterday, all seven were cuddled up under the little Christmas tree [under which Harlequin lies buried].

As usual, of course, by the time I had the camera to hand 4 had moved off for a drink and then Blob went in the photo on the right. Looks pretty Spring-like though, doesn't it, but rainy gardening and windy weather is forecast for this coming week.

The ducks continue to shout "alarm" when the cats are about. Yesterday afternoon they persisted even when I couldn't see one, until, on my way down to the duck pond, I happened to look

under this conifer where Anabelle hid her eggs last year ...................... and there it was, the big, bushy tailed cat, hiding.

Yes, I DID chase it!

Sunday, 12th April, Easter Sunday Colin's birthday

There is no great news to report, really, just wishing everyone who reads this a very happy Easter
and to Colin a great birthday!

The two groups of ducks and drakes continue much in the same vein as I've written before, with, especially the 7, venturing further and further into the big field up to the donkey shelter. I can see them there from the bedroom windows and I worry because I know, if something untoward should happen, I couldn't get there to intervene. It reminds me of the times when the children were growing up and wanting to explore the world around them - you don't want to imprison them and yet you worry all the time they are out of sight.

Just a few minutes ago I heard a racket outside and the 7 were back from the field with Captain hot in pursuit. But he must have been out of his enclosure some time and missing his 3 girls as he turned and went back - but on his way he must have looked in on the pond behind the garage as there was panic quacking coming from there. BBD shot over there at breakneck speed and met Decibels coming out of the gate, all was well. I almost didn't recognize her as her normally bright yellow beak was in disguise with a thick coating of mud.

Circle's eyes always worry me - they don't look as bright as the others' - but she's showing no sign of distress and I haven't seen any fights going on on top of her for some time now.

A couple of days ago we had a scare at the fish pond behind the conservatory again. On opening the kitchen door first thing in the morning I saw a heron standing stock still by the marsh buttercups at the corner of the pond. He took off when he saw me but returned shortly after. Don't know if, or how many fishes he's had, but when we look we can only see one or two of them. Remembering last year, though, when we thought we'd lost all of them, I'll assume they've just been scared and are hiding.

Thursday, 16th April 2009 Andy's birthday

A very rainy, miserable day today, also for personal reasons, but the garden is lapping up the wet.

Caught Primmie with a frog today when I'd thought for some time that there were none left for her to find:

Disgusting, really, and very unladylike. I still had to laugh at the one on the left where she wears the poor frog like a moustache, and smiling. She tried to dip it into the puddle, but it wasn't deep enough. Eventually she remembered the nearest bucket of water and, after dipping it in a couple of times, I actually saw her down it, ugh!

Wednesday, 29th April 2009

Yesterday I actually caught one of Captains attacks on camera having been alerted by the racket outside the window.

Captain is the one leaping and then standing on top. The unfortunate duck is Fanny - she got away unscathed a few moments later. Having used flash for the first photo [on a dark day] I think the shot without flash is actually better.

As the group of 7 can be seen around the house most of the time now I got intrigued by their sleeping patterns, i.e. who settles next to whom. The two white ducks usually stick together - I'm convinced ducks are colour conscious -

not in this picture, though. Maybe Decibels was BBD's favourite of the day *ggg*.

I had to laugh, because moments after taking this photo Primmie [3rd from left] got up, stretched, walked over to the puddle and laid an egg!

Thursday, 30th April 2009

Putting the bottom duckies to bed last night I suddenly noticed a waterhen sitting on the pot with [probably] dead bullrushes, and when I went back towards the house I thought I saw 3 grown-ups and still something black on that pot. This morning, of course, the camera came along. But before I could put it into action FOUR babies were disappearing into the pond edges, and nothing remained on the newly formed nest in that fenced-off area:

I hadn't seen any waterhen-nesting-activity before in that area, and I thought it was because the reeds had been slow to grow and there wasn't enough cover for nesting. The eggs must have been hatched elsewhere and the babies brought into that nest only yesterday.

While I was filling the water buckets I kept looking to see if the waterhen family came back, but no. I did see some of them in the ditch behind the pond but didn't catch any of them on camera.

So I went to do some clipping and weeding further up where I had some cover behind bushes and trees, and after a little while alarm sounded down at the duck pond. Anabelle, next to me always while gardening is in progress, ran down to the pond and joined in the alarm. All ducks were pointing towards the ditch while shouting and a waterhen was continuously calling, so I thought it had to be a cat worrying everyone.

One of the babies certainly responded to the calling and was swimming towards the nest. I hadn't seen this until I used the magnifying function when looking at these photos; that's why I've placed an arrow to point it out.

I rushed down to the ditch as the alarm calls were still going on, armed with a lump of soil .......... and there was the big bushy-tailed cat, rushing towards its home [next door to us], but I was alarmed as it looked as if it had something black in its mouth. So I ran like a maniac, across the stile and along our ditch on the other side, but didn't see the cat again. I did see one little waterhen baby, though, hiding among the stones and nettles at the back of the duck pond:

I really do wish our neighbours would fit their cats with bells, so that the birds nesting everywhere would at least get some warning.