Hoisin leads her ducklings to Wisley's lake
15 June 2010
RHS Garden Wisley’s ‘duck in a basket’ and her ducklings have left their nest and are now living happily on the lake.
Although she has been a relatively helpful mother and was happy to pose with world-famous opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, who was singing at the Wisley Music Festival, she didn’t mention her early morning escape to anyone.
Staff only realised that Hoisin had flown the nest when she and her brood were spotted on the lake.
Hoisin's antics hit the headlines after staff found her nesting in a hanging basket at Wisley Plant Centre. She seemed oblivious to visitors and even flew to and from her nest over an audience of 120 people attending a book signing and talk by Adrian Bloom.
But rather than wait for an audience to witness her ducklings fledge, she led her family to the lake in the peace and quiet of the early hours of the morning.
“This is certainly the most unusual nesting site for a duck that I have ever seen,” says Nigel Eaton, Plant Centre manager. “Hoisin had set up nest before we realised it and then we felt we couldn’t remove her."