Bluebells - 0, Chicks- 1

I was intending to blip bluebells at Wakehurst today but saw these little moorhen chicks and it was no contest really. There were actually seven chicks altogether and although these three were quite placid, the others were going off in all directions and keeping their poor mum very busy. Actually, it might even have been their dad - I think the male moorhen takes quite an active role in 'child-rearing'.

I was thrilled to see them as last year we had moorhens nesting on our pond but I never managed to get a decent picture. Out of five eggs, three chicks hatched but they scuttled away as soon as we got anywhere near. Both parents worked very hard looking after them - it was just amazing to see. They lived on our pond for ages then one day they were gone and there's no sign of them returning yet. Nextdoor's feral cat population seemed to be on permanent stake-out so I hope they didn't get them.

These ones seemed pretty unconcerned by our presence - lucky for me!