Fornicating Pheasents and other dramas

Well the wildlife in my garden has really been playing me up this week.  Some friends came to visit (Yay our first visitors) and typically there was not a Pheasent, Mallard or Muntjac in sight.  I am sure they were all hiding behind the trees and laughing at me.  We had a little stroll in the woods and did manage to see a Sika Deer which was a result because I did not know we had them in there.

Typically within half an hour of the guests leaving Esmerelda was quacking away at the back door for her tea.  She is getting very bold and comes almost up to the back step now.  The males are nowhere near as brave as her.  They sit under the feeding station and wait for her.  If I throw them food they just ignore it if she's not here.  Sometimes they get their timing wrong and arrive after her which means they just sit there for ages looking miserable and get no breakfast. 

Another recent highlight was when my elder grandson (aged 5) said 'Nanny there's a snake'  I looked all around expecting to see a bit of discarded hosepipe when he pointed to my feet.  I was almost standing on a small grass snake who was sunning himself in my front garden.  I called my son to see it and he  swore blind it was a dog poo and insisted on poking at it with a twig.  It was a feisty little snake and hissed at him much to the amusement of the kids.  I wonder what their teachers will think when they go to school saying there was a snake in Nanny's garden and we fed the ducks from the back door.

There was scandal last night with shocking behaviour from a Rogue male Pheasent who flew in and molested one of the females in our regular little group.  Fornicating Pheasents in the garden whatever next!  Good job the kids were not here to see that one or I can imagine the tales the teacher would have been told!! 

We seem to have a very healthy crop of gnats in the garden.  When the Swifts arrive it should be like The Battle of Britain out there, I hope.  The downside is ...a garden full of gnats!  It makes me itch just looking at them.  They seem worse late afternoon.  If I leave the washing on the line after 4pm it is smothered in them.  I think I had better stock up on Citronella candles.