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Drystone Dyking
I frequently write on this blog that the Chayne is run down, neglected and in poor condition. On the whole, these are probably exaggerations. Like so many farms across the country’s uplands, the Chayne suffers from a general lack of financial investment, and while it could stand to be greatly improved, the land itself is… Continue reading
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Desperate Measures
The blackcock is back on his old lekking ground. After an absence of two weeks, he has returned a few days ago to precisely the same spot that he used last year. An early rising friend saw what he thought was a greyhen with him last week, and although his report was extremely exciting, I… Continue reading
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…Meets an Early End
Just thought that it would be worth quickly posting that both of the blackbird chicks (described below) have since met their maker at the hands of a hen sparrowhawk. One of them was killed just a few minutes after I published the post on Monday, and the other died yesterday, flailing its feathers all through… Continue reading
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Early Brood
As if the early summer weather wasn’t obvious enough, I spotted a fledged family of blackbirds in the garden this afternoon. What they are doing up and about so early in the year is a mystery, but the two young birds certainly seemed full of the joys of spring, greedy and squeaking like demons. They… Continue reading
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A Question of Buzzards
Writing about birds of prey can quickly lose its appeal. Although I was bombarded with abuse earlier this year for daring to write about the hen harrier, I can’t help chipping in on a bird that is fast becoming a serious problem. From the perspective of an obsessive lover of Scottish moorland, one of the… Continue reading
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Larsen Strategy
It’s slowly becoming clear that although larsen traps are extremely useful for catching crows, they are not inherently effective. To work well, they need a great deal of careful thought and strategic planning, and the past few weeks have been a real baptism of fire to the world of cage trapping. In theory (and in… Continue reading
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Cuckoo Mk.II
I don’t want this blog to become stuck on my attempts to take a decent photograph of a cuckoo, but I thought the above was worth including as part of my gradual progress towards success. Calling cuckoos is actually surprisingly simple, and the fact that these birds can be so easily tricked is maybe linked… Continue reading
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Cuckoo Mk.1
The last few days have brought more and more cuckoos to the Chayne. I heard five different birds calling yesterday when I walked my circuit of traps, and I was even able to call one out of the thick cover by blowing into my hands and imitating the familiar call. He landed a hundred yards… Continue reading
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Larsen Law
The past ten years have seen new laws piled upon the countryside to such an extent that it seems like we are totally bound in red tape. The sheer volume of “do’s” and “don’ts” turns even the simplest task into legal minefield, and a gamekeeper needs to be as good a lawyer as pest controller.… Continue reading
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Blaeberry Flowers
The blaeberry has begun to flower again after a long winter. Comparing my dates, these flowers are out somewhere between ten days and a week earlier than they were last year. The hot weather over the last few weeks has really hurried everything along, and it shouldn’t be long before these stiff pink flowers become… 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 