NEW FOX ALERT: Three of my Norfolk Bronze turkeys, two hens and a stag, have gone missing. I heard a bit of a kerfuffle around 3.45pm today and saw my white pheasant take flight. He was screeching mid air before landing safely in a sycamore tree. As I scanned around I saw a fox about 40 yards away. I stared at him staring at me staring at him for around a full 10 minutes before he turned tail and disappeared. I could swear he was grinning. It's now pitch black at 5pm and I'll have to wait until daybreak to see if the turkeys return.
Thursday 20 November 2014
Wednesday 19 November 2014
RED FOXES DOWN
... but the battle continues
WHEN I first moved to the Borders it gave me great pleasure to tell the huntsman in charge of the Jed Forest Hounds to clear off my land.
It's not that I was anti-fox hunting, it's just that I've always associated such hunts with the wealthy land owners and the boss class and there was no way I wanted to host a load of posh, upper class nobs charging by on their steeds,
In addition, as the working class daughter of a coal miner it gave me great pleasure to tell the toffs to take a hike.
Now, I'm afraid I've had to eat humble pie and recently went cap in hand to the local huntsman (thank goodness the one I originally told to clear off, quit last year) about my fox problem. However, I said while I'm happy to host the dogs I still didn't want the entire hunt charging through.
I was desperate ... I've lost so much livestock over the last two years and the death toll is in excess of 40 birds ranging from geese, turkeys, peafowl, pheasants, quail, hens and doves - plus one of my farm cats is minus a tail.
I've had men with guns patrolling the land, legal traps have been set and I've even persuaded hubby and his pals to go pee around the boundaries of the land as I was told male human urine gives off a warning scent to deter predators.
One of my blog readers even suggested I try and get some big game poo from a zoo as her uncle in Holland scattered it around his smallholding to deter foxes and she swears it worked. I wrote to Edinburgh Zoo offering money for sackfuls of tiger and lion manure but they were having none of it, despite my pleas for their 'big cat SH one T!' Apparently they burn it.
On someone else's advice I even invested in a flock of Guineau Fowl - more on them later - to act as early warning sirens should a fox pass by.
Sadly none of these desperate measures worked so you can see why I went to the local hunt begging for help.
Anyway, the good news is the Jed Forest crew got two foxes earlier this month. I was delighted. The bad news is I got a call to say two more have been sighted in the area which blows a hole in the theory that foxes are lone predators with their own territory.
We suspected two were at work because of the way in which the hens and doves were disappeared but I had no idea that four were hanging around - and even worse, it's the mating season so the damned animals are travelling for miles to hook up and mate!
Here's hoping for more 'good' news soon ... watch this space.
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| BEAUTIFUL but deadly and a pest |
It's not that I was anti-fox hunting, it's just that I've always associated such hunts with the wealthy land owners and the boss class and there was no way I wanted to host a load of posh, upper class nobs charging by on their steeds,
In addition, as the working class daughter of a coal miner it gave me great pleasure to tell the toffs to take a hike.
Now, I'm afraid I've had to eat humble pie and recently went cap in hand to the local huntsman (thank goodness the one I originally told to clear off, quit last year) about my fox problem. However, I said while I'm happy to host the dogs I still didn't want the entire hunt charging through.
I was desperate ... I've lost so much livestock over the last two years and the death toll is in excess of 40 birds ranging from geese, turkeys, peafowl, pheasants, quail, hens and doves - plus one of my farm cats is minus a tail.
 |
| LOOKING FOR A MATE: This is the breeding season for foxes |
One of my blog readers even suggested I try and get some big game poo from a zoo as her uncle in Holland scattered it around his smallholding to deter foxes and she swears it worked. I wrote to Edinburgh Zoo offering money for sackfuls of tiger and lion manure but they were having none of it, despite my pleas for their 'big cat SH one T!' Apparently they burn it.
On someone else's advice I even invested in a flock of Guineau Fowl - more on them later - to act as early warning sirens should a fox pass by.
Sadly none of these desperate measures worked so you can see why I went to the local hunt begging for help.
Anyway, the good news is the Jed Forest crew got two foxes earlier this month. I was delighted. The bad news is I got a call to say two more have been sighted in the area which blows a hole in the theory that foxes are lone predators with their own territory.
We suspected two were at work because of the way in which the hens and doves were disappeared but I had no idea that four were hanging around - and even worse, it's the mating season so the damned animals are travelling for miles to hook up and mate!
Here's hoping for more 'good' news soon ... watch this space.
Saturday 8 November 2014
SILO SNIPPET
FOX NEWS: No, not the dreadful news channel but some really interesting news, well for me anyway. I may soon have an update on the fox which has made my life a complete misery these last couple of years ... but seeking some corroboration first. Watch this space ..
Busted! The goose is cooked..
Christmas is coming and Bluebell is getting fat ... again!
REGULAR readers know that Bluebell the goose has been on a fat busting diet after becoming so overweight she was unable to stand.
At first we thought she was paralysed and had fallen ill; we even feared whatever it was would be terminal and we'd lose one of the favourite characters on our little farm in the Borders.
Well her previous owner told us that she was a victim of her own gluttony and so we put her on a strict diet. To our amazement the loss of weight gave Bluebell the power to stand on her own two feet again ... literally.
However a couple of weeks ago she had another relapse and was immobile again for a few of days. I was mystified because we'd kept her off the corn, bread and other tasty tidbits so as far as I was aware she was relying on grass and water to sustain her.
The mystery was solved yesterday when I went to collect some wood near the animal feed bins, as you can see from the picture on the right.
REGULAR readers know that Bluebell the goose has been on a fat busting diet after becoming so overweight she was unable to stand.
At first we thought she was paralysed and had fallen ill; we even feared whatever it was would be terminal and we'd lose one of the favourite characters on our little farm in the Borders.
Well her previous owner told us that she was a victim of her own gluttony and so we put her on a strict diet. To our amazement the loss of weight gave Bluebell the power to stand on her own two feet again ... literally.
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FEATHERED FELON: Bluebell's caught red-handed stealing
corn from the bin
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The mystery was solved yesterday when I went to collect some wood near the animal feed bins, as you can see from the picture on the right.
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| GOTCHA! The game is up .. |
Greedy Bluebell's been nicking corn from the bucket while sneaking away from her companions, Toulouse geese Jack and Vera, who have also been put on a grass and water diet.
Her greedy caper solved another mystery as I thought overnight winds were blowing the lid off the corn bin. It never occurred to me, until she was busted, that Bluebell had embarked on a life of crime. I wonder if she'll 'fess up to Jack and Vera who were put on the same harsh diet to give their fat friend some moral support.
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