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Early Signs of Spring
Over the past few years I’ve been keen to pin down the precise moment when the seasons start to change on the Chayne, and I now have quite a detailed diary of annual happenings to keep track on the passing months. The first sign to suggest that Spring is on its way is usually the… Continue reading
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A Norfolk Muntjac
Despite the fact that it’s a filthy, miserable day outside, I’m very pleased with myself. For the first time in my life, I correctly interpreted the weather forecast and shifted my plans around accordingly. As a result, I had a fantastic afternoon in the bright sunshine stalking roe on the hill yesterday, and now I… Continue reading
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Cairnsmore Challenges
Having just returned from a trip to SNH’s Nature Reserve at Cairnsmore of Fleet, I have some mixed emotions. On one hand, the ever-present damage wrought by commercial forestry plantations continues to take its toll on the area, and a hill that should be wriggling with wildlife lies more or less vacant after thirty years… Continue reading
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Teesdale Birds
After having sat in a cramped conference hall outside Barnard Castle throughout yesterday morning, it was a relief to hop in the car and head off up into the hills. The meeting had looked in some detail at grouse health, but while the speakers were very useful, I felt a strong urge to get in… Continue reading
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Fox Reconnaissance
It was quite useful to run a quick look around the hill this afternoon to check on all the fox earths while they’re still lying inactive. Each year that goes by I find new holes which are either freshly dug or have recently been cleaned out and expanded, and as the badgers continue to colonise… Continue reading
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A Morning Flight
Once again I have been blown away by two fantastic days of wildfowling, stalking and bird watching in North Norfolk. Standing in the blue dawn on Wednesday morning as the geese began to flight off the freshwater marsh, I was in a quandary as to whether to watch the massed, writhing ranks of pinks ahead,… Continue reading
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Land Reform & Blackgame
While Scotland is whisked up into an exaggerated frenzy by the Nationalist harpings of “land reformers” and xenophobic pseudo-socialists, it is worth considering the impact that any move to break up the traditional highland estate would have on Scottish wildlife. As the great belly of Alex Salmond begins to rumble in anticipation of the independence… Continue reading
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Birthday!
Today is the fourth birthday of this Working for Grouse blog, so that is worth commemorating in some way. As far as the statistics go, I am fast approaching 100,000 unique visitors, with many of them in past eighteen months. This is without much in the way of advertising or promotion beyond the occasional “tweet”,… Continue reading
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The New Wood: 2014
Amidst the ongoing misery and upset of continuous sleet, snow and rain, I found a moment yesterday to pace out and plan my “big” woodland project for 2014. Having finally wrested control of 3Ha of the hill back from my farming tenant, I am keen to see that it is put to good conservation use.… Continue reading
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Cutting for Waders
While walking the dog and checking some traps on the Chayne in the rain this afternoon, I wandered past some of the cuts I put into the rushes in September with the tractor. So much of the cutting theory designed to be used on heather for grouse also works for waders in wet pasture, and… 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 