Mud, mud, mud and more mud – at present, it’s the curse of farmers and lifestylers alike.

Our nesting boxes for starlings.

Every year mud causes plenty of concern but this year it seems to be worse than ever. At the moment our property is water logged and doesn’t get a chance to dry out.

We give a sigh of relief when the occasional fine day appears then down comes the rain and we are back where we started.

On a different note... Though this weather is ideal for ducks, which our pond is attracting in large numbers, I must confess I am glad that the duck-shooting season is over.

I’m aware that duck shooters believe that culling the ducks gives protection to our pastures by preventing over population of our feathered friends. Of course, the season also provides shooters with a sporting challenge.

That may be all right for some but at present I have two injured ducks on my pond – one with a damaged wing; the other with only one leg.

This may not be the fault of duck shooters but I have a feeling it is. Although I cannot catch the lame ducks I have been able to feed them and keep them alive.

Several years ago I released a dozen grey teal ducks on to the pond and installed nesting boxes for them to breed. This project has worked well and they do breed in the boxes.

From that original flock (and their offspring) there are now 18-22 still living in the vicinity although the ducklings seem to attract numbers of pukeko, which prey on them.

Also, because I throw laying pellets to them each day, I seem to attract most of the district’s ducks who fly in daily for a feed. Several have arrived with their babies, which this year, appear to have arrived early.

However, it has been an unusual winter so far and, perhaps, that has something to do with it.

When I head down to the chook house in the evenings, my hens run after me for their evening feed but the funny thing is, the ducklings now run behind the hens and follow them into the run much to the disconcertment of their mothers.

All the birds on our property have given us a great deal of pleasure over the years.

As well as the hens and the ducks, we encourage starlings and have erected starling boxes in our old pine tree, which becomes covered with creeper in summer. This creates a marvellous habitat for these birds.

We also encourage thrush and blackbirds and provide wheat in the barn for hundreds of sparrows. Over the past three years several tui have also made their home on our property and we have morepork close by too. I haven’t yet sighted them but I certainly hear them.

Well, that’s enough bird talk for now. Hope to catch you all next month after our holiday break in the sun.

• Brian Neben publishes Rural Living, and during the weekends is an avid lifestyle farmer.