October
2.10.04
I saw something today which was a first: a take-off!
It happened just as I was picking some flowers for Maria when she and Gerd were getting ready to leave after their lovely visit. The ducks had come up to see if I had any worms. Then, overcome that they had ventured as far as the orchard turned back towards the pond. Gertie, however, found herself THIS side of a flower bed while the drakes were beyond. Panicking, she flapped her wings madly and actually took off into the air - but landed again almost immediately.
I had read they can fly, just. Gertie has now proved it.
4.10.04
It's a filthy, stormy morning today, just a bit worse than it was last night when we returned - rather later than usual at about quarter to eight - from Chapel. It must have been dark since 6.30. As I was wearing hat, scarf and gloves I offered to shut the ducks in rather than John, and he could do us a couple of rolls for supper.
Well. They were in the middle of the pond as expected, but none of the usual tricks, like hand-clapping and splashing, had any effect. I went right round the back of the pond - in my Sunday best! - to get bigger branches to bash the water with, but other than driving our trio from one area to another it had nil effect, they would not get out. Obviously frightened; maybe they couldn't see the edge as well as in daylight to get out, or I had scared them to start with by trying to put them "to bed" when they had got used to John doing it.
After 15 or 20 minutes of my trying to get them out John came out to help, and for a further 20 minutes or so we both tried all the tricks. I even threw loads of crab apples at them, but they had no effect as the ducks are well used to them dropping into the pond from the tree behind.
"That's it", said John in exasperation, "for all I care they can stop out all night", and we went back in the house. I couldn't rest, though, and I'm sure I couldn't have slept for worrying about them. So I went and changed into some old gardening clothing, including rain-proof hat, grabbed a torch and went out again to try once more - maybe if I lit up the place where they usually get out to go into their hut they would go. But no. I went through the whole gamut of tricks again, clapping, shouting, splashing, pleading even. They stayed in the water.
In desperation I took off socks, tracksuit bottoms, jacket, and went in ......... and slid and fell over immediately, but managed to get upright again and wade through the pond, up to my neck! That did it. They got out in a panic even without the water's edge being lit up by the torch.
I had a struggle to get out myself, and by the time I'd managed to grab hold of the grass verge and haul myself out my three little ducks were back in the water. Was I mad!
I went in again from the opposite side, slipping and gasping with the
cold, and this time I managed to chase them right onto the little path
that leads to their duckhouse, and to shut them in. Then I realised I
was still wearing the hat, and my watch - what a sight it must have been,
me standing there in my tights - and then I carefully picked my way over
stones and nettles back to my clothes - good job it was dark! 
I put my things back on, but they got soaked straight away and everything stank of swamp, me too! I had an extra wash load this morning. My non-waterproof watch decided to put on a late sulk and show a blank face. It was working last night though, after the "event". It was gone 20 past 9, a good hour and a half since starting, when I finally got back, dripping wet, into the house for my supper!
I let the ducks out earlier than usual this morning, and told them they could be in the water all they liked today, but there would be no messing tonight: bed at 6.30!
Here's a nice daytime! picture of Rudolpho (right) and Gertie at the edge where they wouldn't come out last night:
5.10.04
It was still too light at 6.30, but they were in just before 7! John did it, and he stood no nonsense.
13.10.04
I've been trying very hard to get a photo of the frequent chases that go on around the duck pond. Our three feel they HAVE to drive off all birds, but mainly pheasants and waterhens. The last mentioned are very cheeky now and seem to consider the pond as their own. The times I've seen them swimming in it, right in front of the ducks' "noses".
I can only observe these happenings from the upstairs window, though. By the time I've crept towards the pond to take a close-up the waterhens have disappeared. In the photo below one can just be spotted in the middle, a third in from the right.
In the "pumpkin photo" on the right the ducks are keeping watch on the place where the moorhens tend to come and go. I've seen hilarious things where the three of them have positioned themselves at the edge of the bog garden (top left of the photo), obviously in the hope of cutting them off as they appear from the ditch ..... and the waterhens circle round behind them and are in for a swim. So, in go the ducks after them and one slips out on the left and while Rudo pursues it into the pumpkin patch or the bed where the peas and sweetcorn used to be the other one has a jolly good splash about because the other two ducks always follow the first.
18.10.04
Today is the anniversary of the pond-building party, the biggest and best (early) birthday present I ever had. I've been looking at the photos again, and here is one of the early stages when everyone is trying to clear some of the rubble. For comparison, on the right, one taken today (in the rain) looking in the same direction. How things have changed!
26.10.04
I've had another brilliant birthday, celebrations right over the weekend. All the family were able to come again; only Brenda, Pearl's sister in Australia, was missing from the original pond party. The weather was rubbish, though, compared with last year, pouring down with rain, and the kids could only go outside for a couple of hours' play. All the girls brought loads of food again and I had very little to do. I'm a very lucky person!