Rye Harbour seabirds update – the general survival of the chicks has been good, but the main Black-headed Gull on the webcam has lost a couple of chicks, but that means more for the survivor. The Gull feeds by regurgitating food (insects, worms or fish… and sometimes chips!) whereas the Terns bring in a single whole fish and it’s first come first served, so there is often much begging, even before the parent Tern lands. The Tern chicks have white bellies, but the Gull chicks are shades of brown all over. Barry, Rye Harbour.
Rye Harbour is making the News on the BBC website in Sussex. Congratulation to them all for all the hard work. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/6227956.stm
Letting Breeze run with the rest of the Horses today didn’t work. We left the Electric fenced off area, open so that she would find her own way out, hopefully in a calm way. At first it was, we initially believed that what had worked last year was going to happen this time. She had a little buck and calmly walked towards Woody who was laying down, When Woody got up Breeze decided that she was going to show who was the boss. Woody started to walk towards the other horses, that had congregated at the field gate, to get out of the way of Breeze. Breeze didn’t want her near them and put herself between Woody and the other Horses. As she got near Misty, she kicked her, luckily it on just caught her lightly, and no damage was done. By this time Woody had walked away to the far end of the field and laid down. Breeze went partly towards her and then galloped back to the gate area at full speed, having to dig her hind legs into the ground to stop herself from hitting the gate. Bliss was the nearest to her when she stopped and was lunged at and bitten on her side.
Breeze had to be got out of the field before she hurt one of the other Horses. That was not as easy as it sounds. Breeze had no intention of being caught, it was decided to let Arnie , Lady and Willow out as if it was feeding time. Breeze fell for that and followed them in. I really cant make it out why she is acting as she is. It is her herd, but there is not any threat to her. It could be that she see Woody as a threat because she is so close to Lady. We will see what happens when Woody is not in the field. Breeze is now back behind the Electric fence off area, and will have to stay there until the hay has been made and Woody, Bliss and Willow can be in a field on their own.
At feeding time Woody was at the far end of the field laying down. Normally she would be at the gate waiting to come in, or if she was laying down, calling her would get her up and to the gate. Tonight I had to go a fetch her, when I got up to her she was flat out, it needed a great effort for her to get up. When it was time to put the Horses back in the field, she was again flat out in the stable and had not eaten her feed. We have given her pain killers and she will be stabled overnight.
I have been checking for the Rats. Touch wood I have not seen ay feeding on the ground tonight. I had not watched the Bird feeders so I am unsure if any are feeding on them. I have seen the Voles darting about. I dont really want to kill them so I may move the cage with the poison in tomorrow,
The SWT webcams are down tonight. I know that they would not want the web cams to be off and I would think that it the cause is something out of their control.