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A Pair of Cuckoos
Cuckoos seem to be reaching a fever pitch of activity, not only up on the Chayne but also around my house a few miles downhill. Feeding my partridges in the garden this morning, I saw two flying together right over the sheep sheds just twenty yards away, and it was interesting to see that the… Continue reading
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How High’s the Water Momma?
During a beautiful sunlit afternoon walking over Langholm Moor with the head keeper yesterday afternoon (of which more to come), life seemed pretty sweet. Lone grouse cocks poked their heads out of the dry, rustling grass and it was a fair bet to assume that if there were any early chicks going about, the living… Continue reading
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Partridge Triumph
It gives me some considerable pleasure to report that the first hatch of my “home-bred” grey partridges took place on Thursday. The hatch was due to happen on Tuesday, but when the moment of arrival came and went, I began to get worried. The eggs had all pipped, but there was nothing to be seen… Continue reading
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A New Discovery
The chance discovery of a new and previously unheard of blackcock on the Chayne should represent a major event on this blog, where black grouse are few and far between. I can report that I am ninety percent certain that I spotted one yesterday afternoon, but until I can get around the back of the… Continue reading
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Grasshopper Warblers
As is the way with everything in my life, just when you think you have a pretty good idea of what is going on, the rug is pulled from under you. I was enjoying the annual arrival of migrants to the Chayne, mentally “ticking off” cuckoos, wheatears, spotted flycatchers and whinchats and feeling that I… Continue reading
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Catchin’ Rays
My pet blackcock has been standing in this position since ten o’clock this morning. The only slight variation on this theme have been his eyelids, which close periodically as part of a staggered pattern of blinks. An American might describe this activity as “catchin’ some rays”, but one thing is certain; that nothing looks smarter… Continue reading
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Broodie Politics
Now that there have been sixty partridge eggs laid, the process of incubating is taking on the air of a production line. Three broodies are sitting (not including the clutch that went to the keeper next door), and the morning routine of letting them out for a drink and some food has become a real… Continue reading
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Wigtown Book Festival
It seems that I will be talking about black grouse conservation at the Wigtown Spring Book Festival tomorrow (Sunday) at 3pm. Any readers of this blog who happen to have a free afternoon will be very welcome… More information http://wigtownbookfestival.com/programme/2086/1517 Continue reading
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A New Threat
As is the way with my gamekeeping experiences, just as things start to work nicely, a spanner is dropped into the works. A few of my girlfriend’s coturnix quail escaped from their pen a week ago, and three of them have since become feral in the garden. As easy as it would be to catch… Continue reading
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Cutting and Burning in the Peak District
As part of the Heather Trust’s ongoing project to monitor heather beetle treatments on two moors in the Peak District, I headed back down to an area of England which is fast becoming quite familiar. Having looked over the plots near Buxton, I headed over to Peak Naze with the United Utilities tenant Richard May.… 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 