A Duck's Diary from the Jinney Ring Craft Centre

Just some of the stuff that I see here!



Saturday 10 May 2014

Bulldozers in the garden!

It has been a noisy week in the gardens - very difficult to take 'forty winks' but it was interesting watching the activities going on.  There have been two mini diggers and a dumper truck working on the paths and the top pond.  The old paths had got into a bit of a bad state and were proving very painful on our webbed feet as we crossed over so we are glad that they are being taken up and relaid with better materials, it is a bit too soft at the moment but we overhear that the roller is due next week to bed the new surface in.  There is a new path being laid around the whole of the bottom pond too so walking around the garden will be much better for ducks and humans, especially those who are in wheelchairs or on sticks (the humans that is!).

The work on the top pond is pretty interesting too -- we are being partially blamed for the serious erosion that has gone on in the pond (I seriously doubt that my dabbling can be blamed?).  There are now a line of boards around the edge of the pond and these have been back filled with clay which will be planted up with new pond plants very soon.  The only problem is that it is now very hard for us to get out of the pond - we hear that a new ramp is in progress..

New Paths and Pond repairs - work in progress 

It has been an odd time for all of us over the last few weeks - 9 of our Drakes frineds have been found new homes with caring families, so the garden does feel a bit empty.  This has at least taken the pressure off the girls a bit though, and they are much happier! The Drakes look pretty content in their new home too (they are on a large pond in a lovely area near Ullenhall), they took to it all "like ducks to water!"



There are 14 "teenagers" in the rearing area who will be out and about very soon and yesterday another 6 very small ducklings appeared too - they will stay under a lamp for a couple of weeks as they have only just hatched.  These ducklings were hatched by the children from Hanbury First School, they were well looked after (as always).  We are not quite sure what they will become when they grow up - it is possible they will be Call ducks, which will certainly add to the noise in the garden!

A big 'Quacks' 'to Habury School children - great job!

There are more eggs in the incubator so we are expecting it to be a busy pond very soon!

In the Centre we have been seeing lots of visitors for all sorts of parties, courses and activities and plans are hotting up a a big events summer.  We hear that the Animals R Magic event will be bigger than ever this year - lots more animals - we are not that keen on all the attention that the other critters get at this event, but it is for charity to we 'quack and bear' it! 

Next on the agenda is a couple of children's plays in the gardens - 21/22 June - the Meanist Genie and Little Green Fingers - sounds like fun and as it is in a tent in the garden we will get to listen in!