Came across this little fella (I say that, I have no idea if this is a male or female) on the weekend, on top of a bridge, nesting on a planter amongst the flowers. Pretty sure there must be eggs being looked after as there was a different duck doing their bit when I arrived, and this chap had taken over when I left.
Gardens and wildlife
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Ducks do nest in funny places sometimes! I think it's a she by the colouring, but I'm no expert. The ducks round here are brown like that if female and more colourful necks if male (blue/green colour).
Elusive or Coco maybe knows more about ducks
Elusive or Coco maybe knows more about ducks
Thanks Maz. That would make sense, I must have it the wrong way around. The duck taking the first watch was more colourful with a blue / green neck, so that was presumably the male. They were very funny, strange to see them up there with so many people walking around but they seemed happy enough
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The Robin Cafe is still open for business but there has been a dip in trade.
Yesterday morning I saw all 4 of the family in one visit. One juvenile was eating with the adults on the patio but happy to be fed if the parents could stop eating themselves for a moment. The other preferred to be fed but some tough love seemed to be going on. It fed itself if ignored but was usually helped in the end. One juvenile still stayed on by itself and once came alone adopting the parents method of asking for food.
Then the weather closed down becoming colder and very wet. Then more rain all night long.
Today it was a wet and cold morning but one adult came. Now the clouds have cleared to blue sky. Both adults appeared at once but I haven’t seen a young one. They both were without red breast feathers although I thought one was showing signs of a red tinge. If they were booted out of the home this morning then it was a hard morning to choose. Luckily the weather forecast is good and I will continue to keep a look out. I don’t know how long the parents would tolerate them feeding on their territory.
Yesterday morning I saw all 4 of the family in one visit. One juvenile was eating with the adults on the patio but happy to be fed if the parents could stop eating themselves for a moment. The other preferred to be fed but some tough love seemed to be going on. It fed itself if ignored but was usually helped in the end. One juvenile still stayed on by itself and once came alone adopting the parents method of asking for food.
Then the weather closed down becoming colder and very wet. Then more rain all night long.
Today it was a wet and cold morning but one adult came. Now the clouds have cleared to blue sky. Both adults appeared at once but I haven’t seen a young one. They both were without red breast feathers although I thought one was showing signs of a red tinge. If they were booted out of the home this morning then it was a hard morning to choose. Luckily the weather forecast is good and I will continue to keep a look out. I don’t know how long the parents would tolerate them feeding on their territory.
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It sounds as though they’re too young to have been completely left to get on alone by the parents, they usually feed them or help them with some food for quite a while but they also sound old enough to cope with the bad weather so hopefully you’ll be seeing them again.
Even when they’re old enough to fend for themselves but don’t yet have adult plumage the adults usually tolerate them being around ok.
Even when they’re old enough to fend for themselves but don’t yet have adult plumage the adults usually tolerate them being around ok.
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Nearly a week on and I have not seen the whole family feeding together. One juvenile still comes with a parent or both of them but not every time. I also see a juvenile alone but it is impossible for me to tell if this is a more independent sibling or the same juvenile returning after the parent has gone. Still, everyone looks healthy and at last the weather has warmed up after some heavy rain.
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Sometime ago I posted that I had severely pruned my fuchsia as it was now Spring. I had never gone at it so hard but now it is beginning to respond to the warmer weather. The dead thick stem can just be seen on the right hand side.
Also the thick stem of another plant has been dealt with higher up. The plant had grow too large and was damaging the trellis. It is being reduced in stages as it is a favourite perch! It also overhung the fuschia too much last summer so this year it has to give way. Fingers crossed for flowers now.
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Fingers crossed your fuschia grows!
Our very late flowering daffodils are all dead now - more so than all the ones round about that came out earlier. Worst daffodils I've ever had ha ha.
Regularly getting two or three rabbits in the back garden - usually sitting on the grass nibbling. Today they were sat in the flower bed nibbling - and I shouted at them. I suppose I'll have to accept the rabbits are going to win but it does make me want to go out and shoot them! (Sorry!)
There is one small flower bed at the back right corner of the garden that is safe - it still has a metal fireguard round it and a pile of stones round the base of the fireguard. That was initially for two months after Pip died - it's a hamster flower bed. The things under that are alive and growing so I might just leave it there but it's a bit of an eyesore.
Our very late flowering daffodils are all dead now - more so than all the ones round about that came out earlier. Worst daffodils I've ever had ha ha.
Regularly getting two or three rabbits in the back garden - usually sitting on the grass nibbling. Today they were sat in the flower bed nibbling - and I shouted at them. I suppose I'll have to accept the rabbits are going to win but it does make me want to go out and shoot them! (Sorry!)
There is one small flower bed at the back right corner of the garden that is safe - it still has a metal fireguard round it and a pile of stones round the base of the fireguard. That was initially for two months after Pip died - it's a hamster flower bed. The things under that are alive and growing so I might just leave it there but it's a bit of an eyesore.
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A local garden of a well known garden designer has an annual open garden day, so I popped along this afternoon. It's definitely the best time to view the garden at this time of the year when the azaleas and bluebells are out. The fragrance of the azaleas and wild garlic was quite something!
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Good to hear your robins seem to be doing well Coco, the family may have split up now but I expect they’re all doing fine, it is hard to tell them apart so you could still be seeing both of the young ones at different times.
Good to hear your Fuchsia is responding to the pruning & getting back into growth now too.
Good to hear your Fuchsia is responding to the pruning & getting back into growth now too.
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Cafe Robin is quieter now with only two visitors. I assume these are the original parents but if one comes alone, I cannot tell if this is a juvenile who now has full adult plumage. They certainly learned how to ask for food here!
The warmer weather this week must have produced much more natural food for them. I just think that the local robin population has at least two more now.
The warmer weather this week must have produced much more natural food for them. I just think that the local robin population has at least two more now.
. It sounds like they still know who the feeder is though.
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Our bluebells are all out . Lots of bees in the garden too - they love the bluebells. Two or three rabbits are regularly in the back garden munching - they’ve eaten all the primroses front and back unfortunately. One cowslip plant seems to have survived in the front - I had a few of those and if not eaten they usually re-seed and spread every year.
I was careful to get the proper wildflower cowslips and not oxslips which some people sell as cowslips.
The berberis and potentilla are in flower as well. Lovely warm day here today.
. Lots of bees in the garden too - they love the bluebells. Two or three rabbits are regularly in the back garden munching - they’ve eaten all the primroses front and back unfortunately. One cowslip plant seems to have survived in the front - I had a few of those and if not eaten they usually re-seed and spread every year.I was careful to get the proper wildflower cowslips and not oxslips which some people sell as cowslips.
The berberis and potentilla are in flower as well. Lovely warm day here today.
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Very warm here too Maz. Those photos are wonderful and showing flowers doing well. Our bluebells are gone now.
I went outside to take a photo of the acer over our tiny pond which is in magnificent form and the yellow lilies have just come out this week.
I went outside to take a photo of the acer over our tiny pond which is in magnificent form and the yellow lilies have just come out this week.
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The bluebells in the garden are lovely 
This is what’s blooming in my garden right now…
Persicaria, Erisymum and Alliums
This is what’s blooming in my garden right now…Persicaria, Erisymum and Alliums