Baby Moorhens

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Last night at dusk I was out searching for the slugs that had eaten the acid yellow African marigolds I had bought to fill a hole and compliment the yellow Heuchera, when I heard one of the frogs calling.
Usually these are in a drainage ditch beside the garden but this one sounded close. So I wandered across to the pond to stand and listen. What I actually heard was loud chirping from the other side. These turned out to be three black fluffy moorhen chicks who immediately ran towards my black clad feet thinking I was their mother!
Mother appeared on the pond clucking her distress call. Poor babies had no chance of getting into the pond from where they were as it is a raised walled pond, but they usually manage from the steps eventually.
Later after dark I heard the distress call again from the pond and went to investigate with the torch.
Mother was agitatedly calling and flicking her tail on the pond, no sign of the babies.
Flashing the torch round revealed the end of a tail under the wood pile – blasted stray cat!
Lying on the floor and shining the torch under the pile revealed no cat, who had shot out the other end, but the remains of other luckless birds, blackbirds by the look of things, but no babies.
No sign of them this morning, I just hope she has found some and taken them into the ditch for now, but suspect differently.
Now I know all you cat lovers will say its nature but this particular stray will be madly chased from the garden every time it appears.

• 6 Jun, 2013
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