Our enterprising group of 10 drakes and ducks had a new trick last night, when John went to shut them in only 2 could be found, Praline and Georgie, who were running in and out of the shed looking lost. Eventually John saw the rest of them, having a great time aerating the Post Office lawn next door. The last few days I had seen all of them investigating the hedge between the PO and us with great intensity and excitement finding tasty things to eat, and unbeknownst to us they found a way through to next door. They couldn't find their way back though, they had to be "helped". It seems they're getting braver all the time, the other day they were all at the top of the drive and just wouldn't run or get out of the way of the car when we returned home. I had to hang out of the window and watch none of them were getting under the wheels as John drove down at walking pace, the 10 ambling in front!
A short time ago I bought this little bluetit nesting box, because the round one at the back of the houseseemed to have been abandoned last year.
You who are used to reading these blogs will probably remember how I loved watching the bluetits flying in and out of that round nesting box, this was the entry from 7th April last year:
And we had yet another birdie delight: while having our lunch in the sun lounge we could see that a pair of bluetits were flying in and out of the round nesting box that John had repaired, at the back of the house. I took about a dozen shots with the camera but only managed to get this fuzzy view of one of the little birds:
Today John took down this abandoned round nesting box, and was shocked to find 10 little eggs still inside:
This finally explains why we never saw any youngsters come out, one or both of the parents must have been killed. That's so sad, and one can hardly imagine how little bluetits can hatch out of such small eggs.
Our monthly walk with Moira yesterday was organized by John, and it was around Ibstock for a change. In the sun and warmth it felt like summer, a great day; here are a few photos. The last one reminded me of the Von Trapp Family. As we were crossing a field towards the end of our walk a group of children and grown-ups suddenly appeared on the brow of the hill - nursery school outing, I guess.
Here on the left is all I managed to capture of a tricky part of our walk where the path was flooded and we tip-toed across on some helpfully placed bricks [Ibstock Brick Works not far away from there]
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