While I slept, Jeremy heard a loud bellowing from the paddock. He rushed outside to investigate and Ruth was giving birth – one kid, two kids and then a third.

Dear Ruth is working hard to clean them and encouraging them to eat. Click below

With a bit of help from us, they are latching on and learning to suck. They will have to take turns. Click below

She needs a lot of love and attention

And a good helping of mange tout

And picking pink currants and gooseberries

And good morning mother and chick

Thanks to my friend and neighbour Kate, I followed her example soon after we moved here 13 years ago. She had bird feeders close to her kitchen window and I sited a feeder not far from where I stand at the kitchen sink. We get all sorts of visitors from blue tits to great tits and gold finches and more. Yesterday we had a visit from a young “red head”.

It stayed for ages enjoying the peanuts