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Curlew’s Return
After a few days on the Isle of Man (of which more anon) and a stag night in Liverpool (which is not for public consumption), I blew away the cobwebs with a brisk walk up around the hill yesterday afternoon in the sunshine. There was a grand big fox mousing in the white grass above the… Continue reading
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A Langholm Afternoon
I took the indulgent decision to spend this afternoon mooching around Langholm Moor, hoping for some more short eared owl action. As it was, I drew a blank with the owls but enjoyed a couple of hours on the hill on a rather dull and overcast day. The grouse were quietly getting on with their own business,… Continue reading
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Displaying Owls
Can’t resist making a quick mention of the short eared owls which have suddenly appeared on ground near the Chayne. I had a fantastic time watching two pairs displaying over the long grass last week, and having lost track of the time in my enthusiasm, I realised that I had been sitting for two hours when… Continue reading
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The Little Water of Fleet
In 2014, I was invited to an open meeting of the Galloway Fisheries Trust to find out more about their work. As it happened, I ended up getting my dates in muddle and arrived for the meeting precisely a week after it had taken place. The hotel staff were very polite, but I can’t help… Continue reading
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The Plastic Goshawk
While on the subject of goshawks (below), I couldn’t resist carrying out an experiment on the local crows, many of which have been getting rowdier and more conspicuous over the past few days. I’ve shot dozens of crows over raptor decoys, and most of these have been home-made attempts to copy buzzards or peregrines. It is possible… Continue reading
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Goshawks
I’ve been seeing goshawks over the past few weeks out on the back hill and around the forest plantations on the neighbouring ground. The first sighting was the most notable; a glimpse of a pure white-breasted cock bird sitting out like a wood pigeon on the forest edge before turning up over the trees to… Continue reading
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Taxidermy Mk.1
Just a quick note to record my first half-successful attempt at taxidermy; a greyhen that has been lurking in my freezer since September. I spent a considerable amount of time removing all the flesh and bone marrow from this bird according to directions I gleaned online and from a Taxidermy book I bought a few… Continue reading
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The Spectator
With the evenings drawing out ever so slightly, I headed for a quick turn around the hill last night after a day sitting in front of a computer. It was half past four by the time I got my feet in the heather, and I spent a good two hours rummaging around through the granite… Continue reading
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A Chill Wind
The wind was appalling. Bellowing through the snow-ripped hills, it rushed over the ground and plunged its claws into my fingers, sawing at the joints and tearing at my skin. My ears began to howl as tears streamed horizontally across my cheeks. And yet it was a lovely morning; the sun rose gently over the shoulder of the… Continue reading
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The Drummers Return
It’s always a significant date when the snipe start sounding off on the Chayne each year. It’s usually towards the end of the last week in February when the birds start their sing-song chacking just on the last spark of daylight. Within a week or ten days, the first cocks are gamely drumming over the remains of… Continue reading
About
“Shout on, Morgan. You’ll be nothing tomorrow”
Swn y galon fach yn torri, 1952
Also at: https://andtheyellowale.substack.com
Bog Myrtle & Peat 