Mallard Ducks

There are often wild mallards on our pond. We think the same female returns every year to breed, there are usually several drakes hanging around. She lays her eggs and appears with her duckings, have counted up to 13. Sometimes they do get taken be predators. This year she has raised 2, they’re almost fully grown and will come up the garden looking for me to feed them some of the chickens corn.

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Kestrels bred on the farm

Kestrels have nested in one of the roosting holes in one of our barns, there are 3 babies. Two are now flying and one is nearly there. They are near our back garden so are compulsive viewing. Both parents are kept very busy providing food for their hungry mouths. The smaller one managed to land on our patio, not quite ready for flying. Luckily we managed to get her back up, so parents can carry on feeding her. She’s a little behind the other two, but don’t think it will be long before she’s flying too. They are coming back every night to roost, but at some stage they will leave and hunt for them selves. We are hoping the parents will come back next year and raise another brood, they pair for life so very likely.

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