Oh, what a giggle!

Talulah came to visit us this weekend -- and we all got just a bit excited as she fed us and we pushed forward until she fell backwards over the small wall into the flower bed!! This little girl was not one to cry and shout -- no, she got up and dusted herself off and carried on feeding us, and giggling -- we like her and her mum and sister -- they all giggled!

We have had lots of young couples visiting the gardens and the restaurant over the last week or two -- all planning their weddings, I heard the lady showing them round telling them that we ducks are always guests at the wedding - 'invited or not' -- not sure how to take this!

Anyway may be a few more coming up as Valentines day is nearly upon us - there is a lovely evening planned in the restaurant with music from Blues2Jazz and a lovely menu (no duck!).  also don't forget ladies -- it is a leap year!

A visit to the Vet

Two of my friends in the garden have been limping badly lately and have been confined to the pen in the hope that they recover naturally.  Sadly they have not got any better so they were taken off in a cardboard box yesterday and we feared the worst! Happily, it turned out that they had had a visit to the Vet and they are now back and taking medicine for their problems.  They both seem to be getting better and hope to be on the pond again soon.  (Neither is that happy about the medicine though -- tastes horrible!)

Confined to bed!

We have a bit of a mystery at the moment  -- several of my Indian Runner duck friends have disappeared very recently -- including the lovely new duckling that was protected for so long.  Some of my fellows think it is the fox, but I haven't seen any evidence of this and they are not very "meaty".  We are now all on alert, keeping a very good eye out watching comings and goings, foxes and people!

The Big Dog!

We had lots of dogs her this weekend and one "Big Dog" for our charity event in aid of the Guide Dogs for the Blind.  "GoWalkies" was really well supported with both people and dogs, on line and on foot.  

This is Paddy (the Big Dog) who is the Go Walkies Mascot alongside  a couple well prepared walkers

We were a bit worried about pandemonium around the ponds with all these dogs arriving but they were all really well behaved as they went off for their 3 mile circular walk taking them up to Hanbury Church and through some of the Hanbury Hall park lands.   

There were some guide dog puppies in training as well as working guides dogs around but also a good selection of pets of all sizes and shapes.  It was very windy but fortunately dry - it was however too windy for the normal guide dog marquee so they used the forest school shelter to set up their merchandise.

It has not been used for this before!

The event raised about £1,400 for the charity and was lovely to run - a big thanks to all the guide dog helpers and participants for making it such an interesting day - it is not often we get do see such a lot of canines under control!

Other news around the centre - 

No sign of Henry the Peregrine Falcon that went missing a few weeks ago, we now fear that we will not see him again sadly.  The Falconers are still sad about this and hope he is surviving in the wild.  They do have some new birds including a Lanner Falcon which will start to work soon.  

The new Muscovey ducks that were given a home here when their owner died recently have settled in and are now venturing off the islands a bit - they were so fat when they came that they could hardly walk - they were clearly not having to do enough for their corn!  They have lost a bit now but still "waddle"!

The 2011 hatch are progressing well and should be out of their pen in the next couple weeks - it is alway fun to watch them take their first proper swim!

Coming up this bank holiday weekend 6 of the Jinney Ring artist studios are participating in the Worcestershire Arts Trail which starts Friday and runs over the bank holiday weekend. 

As always lots going on!