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Tragedy Strikes
Tragedy struck last night in the high winds. Heading out into the yard for a final check on ferrets and turkeys at 1am, I found that my pet black grouse’s pen had blown over. The five foot square pen section panels which originally formed the basis of a crow cage had simply folded together, crushing… Continue reading
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Stoats and Sea Trout
Having renewed an old trap line last week, it was satisfying to find that I had brought a large dog stoat to book this afternoon in the teeth of a raging southerly wind. He had the first white hairs of ermine starting to show up on his head and around his eyes, and the smell… Continue reading
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Liddesdale via Langholm
Just worth mentioning that I took a quick detour over Langholm Moor this morning on my way out to a project near Newcastleton (of which more to come). As soon as the distinctive silhouette of the moor revealed itself to view from the road outside Kirkpatrick Fleming, I was surprised to see a cock hen… Continue reading
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Windblown Partridges
Further damage from the storm has included the escape of almost my entire breeding stock of partridges. As I type this, there is almost a constant cacophony of skreiking and growling coming from the garden, where the fugitives are mingling with the hens and picking small fights with one another. I am trying to catch… Continue reading
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Wind Damage
The past twenty four hours have been spent clearing up the damage caused by the storm on Thursday night and Friday morning. There are so many trees down across the Chayne that today has been spent entirely with chainsaw in hand, tidying up some of the messier spruces which fell over the fences and dykes.… Continue reading
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Storm ‘Fowling
When the severe weather warnings are issued and the highways agency advises against all but the most important of journeys, it seems clear to me that the time has come to go wildfowling. Packing the shotgun and the chainsaw in the back of the car, I headed out into a sleety smirr yesterday afternoon. It… Continue reading
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A Winter Blackcock
Just found this old picture of my favourite blackcock (taken in Feb 2011) who got me started on this career and became the subject of my book. I thought if nothing else that it was noteworthy to see a black grouse away from the lek sites, with wattles invisibly folded away and tail held calmly… Continue reading
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Advent on the Hill
Heading up the steep face, a cock merlin rose quietly from a granite boulder above my head. As he moved, flakes of ashy feather fell softly down on the crystalline stone. Piecing together the evidence, I found what little remained of a reed bunting amongst the blend of minerals, moss and young heather. On this… Continue reading
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Heat Yer Feet Wi’ Peat
It was very entertaining to hear an advert for peat on commercial radio as I was heading up the track to the Chayne this afternoon. In an amusingly exaggerated Scots brogue, a voice ensured the listener that peat is a cheap, efficient alternative to coal heating, closing with the ringing endorsement: “Ye canna beat a… Continue reading
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Eagle Identity
Disappointing but somewhat inevitable to see the new campaign to make the golden eagle “Scotland’s National Bird” – a push being driven by the RSPB and associated celebrities. According to a new petition, the official promotion of golden eagles as “the symbols of Scotland” would give them the international significance of thistles, tartan and the… 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 