What a surprise!

My ducks are always good for a surprise, remember when Honey suddenly started flying high into the air?  Well, 5 days ago I suddenly saw GertieII take off and fly, only less than a metre off the ground, but still.  As usual, my 7 gobbled down some breakfast and then ran helter skelter down to the big pond where they spend nearly all day.  Gertie is a mix, and she waddles rather than run straight like a proper runner duck should, so she's nearly always at the back of the line.  That morning when I first saw her take off she overtook all the 6 others and led them to the pond!

The next morning I waited by the water tap to see if she would fly again.  She did, about 10 m that time and heading further up in the orchard in my direction  -  and then crash landed against the trunk of an apple tree!  I was horrified, that she'd be unconscious or even dead, but no, she picked herself up, gave herself a shake, and waddled off to join the others.

I didn't see any flying the next two days, but yesterday morning it was Ben [the one who survived the fox bite] who did a spectacular long low flight, closely followed by Gertie who, yes, crash landed against the apple tree again!

I remembered the camera this morning and took a little video - no flights though:

Sorry, I've taken practically no duck photos recently, no doubt that will change once I'm out in the garden again.  Here's just one from ducky bedtime last night, just before 5 - the days are drawing out again:

To finish for today a few pictures of what's showing in the garden.  The Viburnum at the end is one I had as a present from my friends Frances and Alan Hitchcock.  It used to be in the middle of the large diamond bed by the garage, and every year the leaves would be eaten away by the viburnum beetle. A couple of years ago I transplanted it to the bottom of the long bed by Fiona and Kevin's next door - and it's blooming lovely now!