Grandaughter Duties

I was on call today to ferry my Grandaughter about, always pleased to see her and love her to bits, but in the middle of the day!!! I needed to top up the feeders especially as I did not go down the hide yesterday (Sunday my day off) so I filled my carrying bag with seed, sunflower hearts and peanuts and headed off. Pete the farmer had a rabbit for me, left it on the top of his car, it was minus its head (I didn't ask). As I parked the car down at my patch I was greeted by a lot of Baa's from the Sheep in the field opposite my land, sorry guys no food from me.

Like the Necklace.

I checked out the Badger set on the way to the hide, there seemed to be a little more activity around the site. I walked along the sheep netting fence alongside Canal spinney in an attempt to see if anything was about when at the back of the pond I saw some blood, what could this be from?

It wasn't long before I found out, about ten feet away I found my old mate the Moorhen.

I was sad to see this as I had a good relationship with this bird, we used to speak to each other on a regular basis. Below is how she was in her prime only a week or so ago.

So the question is what did the dastardly deed? Not the Fox, he would have taken it away whole, the Buzzard? Not for me, I am leaning towards a Sparrow Hawk, but I may never know. What I do know is I will miss my old mate. Although the Buzzard was around as I crossed the field to the hide, I really think the Buzzard is not a suspect.

As I was topping up the feeders there were four Robins within touching distance, I put some suet sticks in my left hand and offered them to the Robins, within seconds this fella had landed on my hand, amazing how tame the wildlife can be when times get hard.

No time to sit in the hide today so I decided on a walk in Canal Spinney, I climbed the fence at the back of the pond into the wood. I am sure the Fox have their Den here somewhere and with a heavy layer of snow it would be a good time to try and find it, having said that I didn't see one Fox footprint, shows what I know aye. 


You can see the wood top left of this image.

It was a lovely walk even though the snow was quiet deep in places, I only fell over three times, its amazing how quick you fall down as you get older, and with old tree branches hidden under the snow every step was a potential fall, I even made my self laugh after the third fall.

Some images from the Spinney. The Canal borders the land on one side.

It was now nearly time to get Martha, but a quick call at Pete's farm on the way home to see if anything was about, it turned out nothing was, not even Pete. I had a look around the farm and noticed this barn if ideal for a Barn Owl box. I must get one erected in this barn before too long.

Prime for a nest box.

Nice to see some young cattle about and look forward to seeing these in the field at the back of our home come the Spring.