A Solved Mystery....

We've had a bit of a mystery here in Devon these last few days. 

A weird noise coming from our neighbour's woods and the trees along our orchard boundary. I can only describe it as a cross between a poorly duck, a squeaky gate, and a cat with a sore throat.

This morning it woke me up.

"What IS that noise?????"

I asked my neighbour - he hadn't a clue.

Then daughter Kathy had a suggestion, so we Googled it
(what did we do before we had Google?)

Yes, Kathy was right.... here's the noise and the culprit

.... who needs Miss Marple when you have a Kathy around? LOL

Surviving Wild - the ExmoorPony

A lovely video about Exmoor ponies - 

but with a very important message:

PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY

Pheasant News Latest!

Well they are getting bigger - almost LOOK like pheasants now!

Follow the story:
1st August - how we found them 

update one:

27th October update two 

Make Hay While The Sun Shines...

.... never a truer word!

For the last few months we've had a lot of rain.... not always every day, but on enough days to not be suitable for Haymaking. This involves, cutting it, drying it - turning it and drying again... then baling and bringing inb. Wet or damp  hay goes musty and ndusty - and can cause fires as it combusts.

Last weekend we had a "window of opportunity" from Thursday to Sunday when the forecast gave dry weather for four days.... so we went for it!

Luna surveying her dinner!

Hay is cut....

hay is baled...

hay is brought in....

Mab the cat surveys her cosy summer residence!

last load.... of several.
We had 540 bales

One empty field...
until next year!

Update on the Pheasant Chicks!

well, it has been a couple of weeks now since 15th July when we found a dead hen pheasant in our quiet back-of-nowhere lane - along with five of her orphaned chicks (and sadly, several dead ones, also run-over)
(see previous article here )

but  look how the four surviving chicks have grown!

they live in one of the stables now - on a diet of fruit, hard-boiled egg and meal worms. They will soon be getting their full adult plumage and when that happens we'll either let them out into the front garden (fairly enclosed) or  transfer them to a run in the orchard, let them settle, and then open the door.

 If they then want to stay they can (we'll put food down and keep their nest box for them) but they are wild birds and once full grown will need to return to the wild - and take their chances with nature (and sadly, the foxes)

We are expecting that they might just decide to  hang around though - but we'll have to see..