They are out and about.....

The incubated ducklings are now out and about around the ponds - they are largely stick together and rush around (many of them are runner ducks) and are enjoying the sunshine and the ponds. 

We have also had some late mallard ducklings arrive, mum seems to be looking after them well so far.

Finally - look at this beauty.  This duck is one of the 6 six that survived from our own egg collection earlier - he/she is an Appleyard cross and we are delighted to have had some reminder of the lovely Appleyards that the fox robbed us of earlier in the year.  Quite a character!

Wedding Bells for Jinney Ring Gardener

Rachel - our hard working gardener gets married today in Worcester.  Can you believe that she was not going to have flowers for her big day?....  Fortunately no-one here thought that this was "quite right" so arranged for local Hanbuy florist Anna Brian to come an take some of the flowers from our (her) gardens here and make a lovely scented bouquet and button hole for Joe (Groom).  The bouquet was pink and yellow (to match her dress) and had some beautiful roses.  Anna said that it was a delight to cut the flowers yesterday as it was such a fantastic day in the early morning (when it was not too hot for the flowers).

Rachel spends almost every day, even in the winter, out in the gardens with us and is always looking after our well being - we wish her a fantastic wedding day and a great future with Joe.  The only thing is she is now off on honeymoon for 2 weeks and we, and her garden, will miss her!

Garden and Countryside

Last week Jinney Ring Gardener, Rachel, had some help in the gardens from a young works experience chap and his teacher.  He was from central Birmingham and had visited our gardens and fallen in love with them.  Between them all they created a new flower bed at the bottom of the site and planted it up - it looks great and we are very grateful to the team for making the garden better.  Rachel has however asked us Ducks not to "ferret around" in the bark for a bit though - to let the plants settle.   The bed is next to the fence line at the bottom of the overflow carpark, where there is also a new hedge planted - it is a wildlife hedge and has a range of different hedge plants in that are designed to work with the insects and birds.  It will all take a while to get established.

Talking wildlife (apart from me) I am told that the meadow field is particularly lovely at the moment - this is one field away from the Jinney Ring and can be accessed from the footpath through the wood at the end of the site.  Pictures below: 

The owners are holding off cutting for hay until the wild flower seeds have dropped and then the meadow will be well replenished next year.  There are footpaths through the field which take you to the school and the church - a really nice walk!

Life on the pond is pretty good at the moment with great sunshine - the babies are growing fast in the cage on the lawn, but do not yet have their oil glands properly developed, so do not swim well!! - They get waterlogged fast and would sink if not helped out!  Have you ever seen a waterlogged duck - looks very commical! 

As to activities in the Craft Centre - there is lots of "Not the world cup" stuff going on - this Friday (25th June) we are getting ready for a "Mad Hatters Tea Party" which will be in the garden (so we can join in).  Cream teas and Pimms are promised with lots of hats from "the hattery" who are a group of miliners working at the craft centre each Friday (they often come out to see us when they are here).  There is also the chance to see Jamie Olivers new cookware range "Jamie at Home" (3pm - 9pm).

The Jinney Ring also had a stand at the BBC Gardeners World Show last week - I overheard some of the staff saying that it was a good show but hard to resist the smells coming from the food show next door!

What a busy weekend!

The baby ducks are now out and about - they like 'teenagers' at the moment - a bit gangly and eating all the time! They are out during the day and still coming in at night (well mostly!). 

They, and we, have been very heavily socializing this bankholiday weekend with beer festival customers - the beer tent was in the garden and so was the entertainment.   Firday saw Droitwich Blues Duo "Broke Down Engine" playing both ouside and inside.

"One Step Beyond" appalachian step dancers performed on Saturday and Sunday (and were such good sports through the rain on Saturday!) as did local guitarist Mick Quickfall 

Saturday night was a bit chilly and wet but folk group "Just Good Friends" played on in the beer tent and did a great job.

  

One Step Beyond

Mick Quickfall

Visitors had the choice of 20 real ales (most of them local) and 5 ciders - many have worked their way through the whole list.  Favourites seem to be the "Triple Chocohollic", "Bottom Knocker" and "Matrix".

Mark Treverton from Marksman Leisure was also on hand most of the weekend to test wits shooting laser clays. There were skittles (courtesy of local man John Ford) and horseshoes (thanks to Bob and Leigh -farriers to Floss the horse in the field!) to keep the children (and adults) entertained.

It has been a very mixed weather weekend with Saturday being wet and then a lot of wind Sunday (the wind caused a bit of unexpected entertainment with one of the Marquees sailing away - fortunately everyone took it in good spirits and helped take it apart, bend tubes included!) . 

All in all it has been a very fun and busy few days - and it is not over yet - the festival goes on until the end of today (Monday).

Stop Press....

While all this has been going on we have also had some new arrivals - some more incubated ducklings.  Thety have not made it outside yet as they have only just hatched.  They are real cuties - Mini Silver AppleYards, White Runners and Mixed Runners.  We are still hoping for a few more to hatch in the next few days. Look out for them in the garden in the next week or so.

Unusual visitors

The night before last two surprise visitors dropped in on a lovely sunny evening when all the customers had disappeared.

They are a male (b/w) and female Tufted Duck 

They were not here long - probably just stopping off on their way to Scotland - they are commonly found up the west coast of the country - we have not seen them on our ponds before!

Also seen last night, standing bold as brass in the middle of the garden was a very fine FOX - not quite to welcome - we all made it to water pretty quick!

Very smart cars!

This weekend we all had a lovely treat - the Historic Car society arrived for tea with their rather smart cars.
Here are just a couple.

There were 33 cars in all, lots to see and some very enthuiastic people looking arround them.

Weather getting a bit better now and it is quite pleasant in the garden.  The incubated ducklings are growing fast and we are all getting much better at watching for the crows although they have eaten an aweful lot of our eggs.

In the Restaurant they are well along with preparations for the beer festival (on bank holiday weekend) - 20 real ales (most of them from local breweries) have been ordered and 5 ciders.  Lots of games and some music in the garden are now sorted out - should be fun!

Criminal found!

Another horrific night last night in the garden - we all kept look out and saw no one but in the morning 14 ducklings have vanished, now only have 10 left, we are all so sad.

Humans came and moved the pen and have found the culprit - a weasle or stoat run has been dug under the duck house and came out under the house ramp where it could not be seen.  They have now moved the pen with the remaining ducklings and are building a new house for them.  We can't have another night like that!

At least the mystery is solved and faith in human kind is restored!

Thanks to those who are as upset as we are for you kind thoughts.

The "wild" white ducklings reported two blogs ago are now 5 in number but they are growing very well and as each day passes have more chances of reaching maturity - it is a tough life in the country!

There is also another white duck sitting on eggs at the moment.

Talking of my feathered friends - spotted a wild barn owl in the back field last night.... lovely to see, wonder if it has a nest nearby?