When we think of Aigas birdlife, we tend to think of ospreys, crested tits, crossbills and red kites, but for many of our visitors it is Lady Lucy’s fowl and poultry collection that captures their affection.

Her guinea fowl act as an alarm clock, described by one guest as “a repetitive squeaky door”. We keep them because their favourite food is ticks and as a result the gardens are almost completely tick free. They aren’t blessed with intelligence, but they have become a much loved part of Aigas.

There is, however, one character who is often overlooked, but of whom we are very fond. His name is Jimmy and he is a runner duck.

Jimmy came to us by Caledonian Sleeper in 2016. Lady Lucy had been south for the funeral of her uncle, Jimmy, and was given a tiny orphaned duckling to take home. Named Jimmy, for reasons obvious, he slept in her sleeper birth in a shoebox for the long and bumpy journey from London Euston to Inverness.

For his first few weeks at Aigas, Jimmy lived in the bootroom of the big house. Fed on chick crumb and mealworms, he was allowed to paddle outside in a bucket of water or Lady Lucy’s pond for a few hours a day. Before long, he was ready to join the other ducks and chickens outside.

Jimmy got on well with his new friends, and quickly forgot his turbulent beginnings. The other ducks embraced their new friend and the years quickly passed happily and uneventfully.

However, when Jimmy was around 4 years old he was mauled by a passing otter. The opportunistic otter was travelling from the loch to the river and Jimmy got in his way. The otter was likely full on trout and didn’t fancy duck for dinner so the attack was not fatal, but left Jimmy completely paralysed from the neck down. When he was found, the outlook was dire.

And so, Jimmy found himself back where his life at Aigas had begun, in a basket in the bootroom, only this time he had a hot water bottle and extra helpings of mealworm. Despite his handicap, Jimmy’s spirit was not beaten and he quacked merrily from his new home. He had many visitors and encouraging words from guests, rangers and a dog or two.

It took two weeks for Jimmy’s paralysis to lift, but he was now sitting up and wagging his tail. We were all happily surprised, but the biggest surprise of all was soon to come. Jimmy must have been feeling better because one night, after almost a month in rehab, he laid an egg.

Now, one might have thought after a 50+ year career in ecology Sir John might have known that Jimmy was in fact a Jemima. Or the team of highly trained rangers, or even Lady Lucy who has been keeping ducks for decades… but no one had the slightest suspicion.

Jimmy/Jemima returned to his friends in the field and thrives to this day, aged 8. Who knew? It is actually a duck’s life.