As you may know Brian has a parrot called Derby. He is full of character and lives between the house and the trees. During the day he flies around the garden letting us know he is around by squawking to us as he passes. He lands in his tree and usually shouts “whoooopeeedoooopeeeee” which makes us laugh every time. If you are staying in the cabins, especially Jay’s Nest, you may well hear him.

We try to get him into his cage at night. If not he gets up too early and flies past our bedroom window announcing his presence. I am afraid he will do a “fly-by” the cabins and waken the guests. It is not what they need on a relaxing trip away! It is not what I need at 6 am either!

A few weeks ago however he limped home with a swollen eye, no tail feathers and some flight feathers missing. He had been beaten up by the crows. He was “hospitalised” in his cage for a few days to recover. When he was feeling better he was desperate to get out and about again. We did not want to let him fly but he was demented in the house and took on a new project of chewing the windows. He knew what it was like to be free. I knew what is was like to have to do replacement windows and it was not something I cared to repeat!

Tentatively, we let him go and were delighted when he did not leave the garden, staying carefully within the parameter where we could help out if there was a problem.

Yesterday however there was a big stramash. There was squawking and screeching and we all ran out to help. We were amazed to see a crow flying for its life with Derby in hot pursuit! The crow looked terrified as it fled with a mad green bird hot on its tail. He chased it out of the garden and then returned home with another shout of “whoooooppppeeeeedoooooppeeeeee”. Go Derby!

So if you are in the cabins and you hear “what a lovely boy, drink of water, cheeky boy, hello”, coming from the trees you are not going mad. It will be Derby flying through the forest looking for Brian. He has learned that for the last few weeks that is where he can find him building a new cabin, so now if he wants to touch base with him, he flies over the cabins announcing his presence in his dulcet tones.If you are very lucky he may even stop by to say hello.