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Starting from number eleven there are five new photographs on…

Starting from number eleven there are five new photographs on the Photo page, all sent in by Vicky. There will be five from Lynne tomorrow.

Badger taken at Denbury. Vicky.

Peacock at Denbury. Vicky.

Badgers taken at Denbury. Vicky.

Willow and Gypsy at the horse field gate. Vicky.

Great Spotted Woodpecker at Denbury. Vicky.

All the Horses are now in the main Horse field to run together, other than Breeze who has been put in an electric fenced area in the field until we believe that the Mares and Breeze will get on together. We know as Emmi is new to the herd, and has never run with all of the Horse, that when we let Breeze out of the fenced area there will be a bit of running around and bickering to sort out the pecking order. Those now running together have all settled down with each other. Emmi is making sure that Willow and Gypsy are keeping their distance from the Foals. In a short time Emmi will allow them to get nearer and the Foals will want to be with the younger Fillies.

As the weather has warmed up we have started to leave all of the Horses out of a night bringing them in for a short time in the mornings and evenings for their feed. Now that they are being left out they let us know when they are ready to go back out. They also know what time we are meant to bring them in as most times they are waiting at the gate. We would hope for them to be out until the Autumn, only bringing them in if the weather is continuously bad. With the Horses being out we don’t have to muck out the stables very often, that really does make a change.

The Robin nesting outside of our kitchen door doesn’t seem to be sitting on her eggs as much as she should. I don’t think that it is us going in and out of the Farm House that is disturbing her or she would not have chosen the place to nest in the first place.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

We thought she looked a bit unusual. Lindsay.

Ducks in a pond in Connecticut. Anjela Connecticut.

The grannys bonnets are in my garden. Barbara.

The first is my dog , Pepper, enjoying an ice cream. PM.

Newstead Abbey. Nottinghamshire. Judy.

Sonny went to his new home this morning. We don’t like parting with any of our Horses. In Sonny’s case it was that we got him to be a companion pony for Smuggler until we had the time to break him. We really needed to break Smuggler last year, but although Sonny was a very well put together Dartmoor pony, and that we were also giving him away free, no one except for the people who took him today had made any inquiries for him. We believe that he has gone to a good home. The two children that Sonny is for came when he was collected, they were very keen on Sonny and they do have other Horses so he wont be on his own. Mind you we would not have let him go to any one unless Sonny had a companion. The people who have taken Sonny will need to have him gelded, that will cost in the region of two hundred pounds, and of course they will need to break him, so they will be putting a commitment into him.

Both Smuggler and Sonny knew something was happening that they did not like, as they started to call to each other as we were loading Sonny into the Horse trailer. It was quite easy getting him into the trailer, and it would not have caused him a lot of stress. We managed to get him to follow a feed bucket and within fifteen minutes he was in the box. He kicked the side of the Horse trailer once the back was closed. Both Horses then started to call to each other more. It is sad and we do feel sorry for them. They have been together for four years, since they were both about nine months old. When we got Sonny he was only days away from going to be slaughtered. A lot of moors ponies do finish up this way, as there are very few homes for them. Some years the ponies bring very little money in the pony sales straight from the moors. Many bringing little more than a pound or two each. At least Sonny was saved from that fate and is now going on to a new life. Both Smuggler and Sonny will miss each other for a while. We have taken Smuggler from the top paddock in to the stable yard that Breeze and Arnie are kept. He has been calling for Sonny all day, but will settle quickly once he get use to his new stable friends.

We put Lady and Emmi and their Foals into the Horse field this morning. They both seemed very pleased to be together. There was no squabbling and they stayed close to each other all day. Within a few days the Foals will start to play and run with each other.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

We thought she looked a bit unusual. Lindsay.

Ducks in a pond in Connecticut. Anjela Connecticut.

The grannys bonnets are in my garden. Barbara.

The first is my dog , Pepper, enjoying an ice cream. PM.

Newstead Abbey. Nottinghamshire. Judy.

Sonny went to his new home this morning. We don’t like parting with any of our Horses. In Sonny’s case it was that we got him to be a companion pony for Smuggler until we had the time to break him. We really needed to break Smuggler last year, but although Sonny was a very well put together Dartmoor pony, and that we were also giving him away free, no one except for the people who took him today had made any inquiries for him. We believe that he has gone to a good home. The two children that Sonny is for came when he was collected, they were very keen on Sonny and they do have other Horses so he wont be on his own. Mind you we would not have let him go to any one unless Sonny had a companion. The people who have taken Sonny will need to have him gelded, that will cost in the region of two hundred pounds, and of course they will need to break him, so they will be putting a commitment into him.

Both Smuggler and Sonny knew something was happening that they did not like, as they started to call to each other as we were loading Sonny into the Horse trailer. It was quite easy getting him into the trailer, and it would not have caused him a lot of stress. We managed to get him to follow a feed bucket and within fifteen minutes he was in the box. He kicked the side of the Horse trailer once the back was closed. Both Horses then started to call to each other more. It is sad and we do feel sorry for them. They have been together for four years, since they were both about nine months old. When we got Sonny he was only days away from going to be slaughtered. A lot of moors ponies do finish up this way, as there are very few homes for them. Some years the ponies bring very little money in the pony sales straight from the moors. Many bringing little more than a pound or two each. At least Sonny was saved from that fate and is now going on to a new life. Both Smuggler and Sonny will miss each other for a while. We have taken Smuggler from the top paddock in to the stable yard that Breeze and Arnie are kept. He has been calling for Sonny all day, but will settle quickly once he get use to his new stable friends.

We put Lady and Emmi and their Foals into the Horse field this morning. They both seemed very pleased to be together. There was no squabbling and they stayed close to each other all day. Within a few days the Foals will start to play and run with each other.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven. Nearly out of photographs.

I was driving down through Burrington Coombe l and came across these goats. Julia.

This is my first capture of the infamous Buzzard! I shall be shimmying up the lamp post next week LOL. Karen.

Young ducklings on the lake, they were so cute. Elsie.

Spring in the Gardens. Rufford Country Park. Judy.

Shetland ponies on the Shetland islands. Lindsay.

The Goose with the three Goslings managed to survive the night. Mrs Goose had the good sense to return to the island. Just in case I electric fenced at the end that the Fox came from to take the Gander, I also put a couple of gates at another place that the Fox would have an easy way to get to the Geese, but it still leaves many places for a Fox to get to them.

We don’t normally feed the Geese when they are on the Lake, but yesterday afternoon we gave the Goose and Goslings bread. The Goose had obviously been fed before by people, as she came straight over for it. We will do all we can to keep them alive but I really do think that the Goslings have only a little chance. The other pair of Geese flew in this morning. They will nest if they can get on the island but I fear they will finish up the same way. I am very tempted to chase them off of the Lake and hope that they will find another place to nest.

We let Emmi, Sox and Lady out into the main Horse field of a day and Breeze and Arnie of a night. If we put all the Horses in together, Breeze will cause problems being the herd leader, she will try to herd them up causing a few kicking session, so as last year we are going to electric fence off an area for Breeze so that she gets use to the other Horses. It will help to stop any major problems when we let the Horses run together. As soon as we let Breeze in to the Horse field, Ewy make her way to be with her. Ewy has been on her own, mainly in the Horse field for the whole of the Winter.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven.

I SAID THAT APRIL NEEDED SOME FRIENDS !!! THE FOUR TINY BABIES ARRIVED IN A NEST THAT WE THINK SOMEONE HAD REMOVED FROM A LOFT. THEY ARE VERY SMALL BUT ARE DOING QUITE WELL.

Levant near St Just in Cornwall owned by the National Trust, has a working steam engine. CH.

These little cuties are in the field opposite my house and they have been keeping us amused for most of the week. They have mad half hours when they run around the field chasing and jumping up and down as thought they are on springs.

Parrots at Birdworld. Bec.

Compos house from Last of The Summer Wine. Karen.

For those of you who have asked, Ewy is still about. I do show her now and then on the webcam in the Horse field. She has been in the field for most of the Winter, only going into the woods and valley now and then, very rarely coming near to the field gate. We were only talking about her last night, we reckon it could well be because of when the Sheep were chased last year by a Riders Dog who passed through the Farm. Since Breeze and Arnie have been in the small paddock opposite the Horse field, she has got a little braver. If we left the Horses out of a night I am sure she would join Breeze in the paddock, but of a daytime she only has to see a human or the Dogs and she is gone like a bat out of hell. The grass has started to grow and If we get a bit of warmth in the ground the grass should have it away, so that we can turn the Horses out into the Horse field on the 1st of May. Ewy will no doubt then hang out with Breeze.

I have just had a few words with the Manager of the Stud that Emmi went to, when she was mated with a Stallion. Emmi and Sox arrived back to Denbury late in the evening, last Friday. We really didn’t look to closely at her until on the Saturday I noticed that Emmi was a little lame. On checking her over we notice that she had six kick hoof marks on her. Four on her nearside rear leg, one on her nearside rear quarter and another on her offside shoulder. It was the kicks to her leg that were making her lame. It will heal itself within a few days.

I had warned the Manager of the Stud before Emmi went that although I had not had any experiences of Emmi being a madam, I thought that with strange Horses she may well throw out a kick. It seems that the Manager did not heed my words, for she most definitely had been kicked, being her or other Horses starting it it doesn’t matter. The Manager of the Stud wasn’t best pleased with me telling him, mostly he denied it, tough for him. Mares with Foals are protective. How many Mares and Foals were together in their paddocks together, I guess I will never know. When Horses have a kicking session with Foals at foot, they tend to get very close to the Foals, thinking that they are protecting them, but of course it puts the Foals in danger. One good kick and a Foal could be severely injured or killed. I wont be using that Stud again.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number one.

Morning all, just to let you see what we woke up to this morning, I know its not a lot, but, the weatherman said last night that it would miss us !! Jan (herts)

Otters at a Sanctuary near St Ives in Cornwall.Lindsay.

Sparrow which was taken in my garden. Vicky from Derby

“Badger Watch”, Molly enjoys wildlife programs.Carol

Here is another picture of Beryl, this was taken through the kitchen window. Val.

I didn’t get time to get the new Lake webcam going today. I will try to find time tomorrow. I want to see it going, as it would be interesting to see the Pond beyond the Lake. I will also be able to see when any Herons land on the Pond. When we stocked the Lake with Fish we didn’t put any in the Pond, but over the years the Fry must have gone through the pipe that connects the Lake and Pond, now there are some good sized Fish in it. The Herons that land on the Lake must have got wise to me chasing them off, as we rarely see them on the Lake. We do see them on the Pond when we drive down our driveway. They wouldn’t be my favorite birds especially when I see them fishing on the water.

Other than a few snow flurries today, it really is looking Spingyfied on the Farm. Lots of yellow with the Daffodils, Primroses and around the Lake the Marsh Marigold. The Blackthorn has started to flower. We have a lot of Blackthorn around the Farm, when in flower it is one of my favorite scrubs, maybe because when it flowers you know that the warmer days are nearly here. It has been one of the best Autumn and Winters for the weather that we have had since we have been at Denbury. It hasn’t been to cold or over wet. With the weather being so good we managed to be able to keep the Horses out in the field, up to a few days before Christmas, a big bonus for us. We still have to muck the stables out every day, but we are not clearing up after the Horses all day long. We would have if we had needed to keep them in around the yard. For nearly a month we have also been able to let Breeze and Arnie out in the small paddock, that is in view when we put the Sheep pen webcam on. The ground of the paddock is a little poached, but not as much as other years. As long as we get a bit of rain and a lot of warm sun we will be able to turn all of the Horses out on the 1st of May for the Summer.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven.

Aren’t these lovely. They flower right from late spring until the frosts. Elsie.

This was made out of slate and all sorts of other bits. It stands in the grounds of the Eden Project,Cornwall.Lindsay

Ponies taken last August. GJ

MORE PICS OF WSR, TWO ENGINES ABOUT TO LEAVE THE STATION. FROM MARIE AND JOHN.

Dolphin photos taken in scotland on the Murray Firth last year. Vicky, Derby.

Emmi is due to Foal on the 1st of March. I should think that would have been taken on a 365 day year, not a leap year, so her due day to Foal is today. Watching the monitor in or bedroom before I went to sleep, Emmi was turning her head toward her rear end, a sign that she may have been going to give birth. We put the alarm clock on for every three quarters of an hour just in case. It does tire us out waking so often through the night, but at least with a monitor I don’t have to go to the stables to check on her as we did before we used cameras. Imagine what it would have been like last year with Lady being a month overdue, if I had gone out to the stables every hour or so. I have done that a few years back. Angela some Horses do occasionally give birth in the day, but I haven’t been that lucky. It all goes back to when Horses were wild. It was safer to give birth in the early hours, after predators had finished hunting. Its a shame someone hadn’t told them that there was no such risk in a stable. I suppose if I was so inclined, I could tell you what sex Emmi’s foal is. Your unlucky I am not inclined to.

I am starting to wonder if my Sheep are in lamb, it could be that the Ram wasn’t fertile. I will need to check them over some time during the weekend. Being that the Ram was running with the Ewes all of the time, I would be surprised if they were barren this year. I could be wrong, but they all look large.

The Snowdrops have gone over and the Wild Primroses have shown themselves for the first time today. With the Trees and Hedging budding we are well on our way to Spring. This Autumn and Winter seems to have gone so fast with us being able to leave the Horses out in the fields until nearly Christmas.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven.

Willow and Gypsy eating together.

A shetland pony and foal cant remember where it was took. A toad on the patio of our holiday cottage in Devon. Lynne.

No man has sculpted these rocks into this shape just the wind blowing against a soft cliff face!!!! John took this photo in Spain Marie.

A nice story in yesterdays Mirror. Elsie.

As you can see by the photograph that I have put on the Photo page Willow and Gypsy have been eating together from the same feed bowl. Within half an hour of taking Lady and Willow over to the area that Emmi and Gypsy are stabled, we let Gypsy out to be with Willow. Lady called out a little, but they soon settled down. We put two feed bowls out for the two youngsters as soon as we put them together. We had just as well have just put one out in the first place, as they shared both bowls. When keeping any Horses together it is important to make sure that they they are not over possessive about their feed, if they are you can guarantee that there will be a kicking session. If both the Horses are strong willed, one or both will get hurt, and they will not be able to be together at feed times.

I looked over the Ewe that I expected to Lamb a while back. After checking her teeth I realised that she was an old Ewe, and that her udder was large because of the amount of Lambs that she had previously given birth to. She is definitely in Lamb, but when she is going to give birth I am really not sure. Looking at the other Ewes all but one looks in Lamb. A couple of them are getting larger udders, but I don’t think that any are imminent. Last time I said that, one Lambed. I will leave the camera on them most nights so that you will be able to see a Lambing.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.

Hello Mr. Farmer, Karen in Stoke asked if I went into the little church on the beach – here are more photos. Looks as though some one’s been hitting the mead!! Beautiful ceiling, Julia

Steam Train leaving Kingsway station Devon. A lovely sight. Elsie

THE PHOTO OF THE MARE AND FOAL WAS TAKEN AT A LOCAL BEAUTY SPOT, IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY , BUT THE FOAL FOUND SOME SHADE!!! MARIE.

When I checked the webcams at about 8.pm last night I saw what looked like the last moments of a pair of Fox mating, they were on both webcam one and two. Did any one see any more than the last moments. It was just before they went out of view. I heard the Fox calling as I went to feed the Badgers this evening. There is a chance that it may happen again tonight.

Of an evening for the past few weeks we have had a lot of Starlings above the Farm. I should reckon there has been a thousand or maybe a little more. Don’t get to excited, it is pretty insignificant to a roost, but it is the first time that we have noticed them. So there must be more than there would normally be. I had a quick read on Starling this afternoon. Starlings do like woods, and will roost in them. We do have forty acres of wood surrounding the Farm. It is more likely that they have flown in for food, and return to a large roost. They will travel as far as twenty miles. I shouldn’t think that as the crow flies, the West Hay Starling Roost wouldn’t be much further. West Hay has a very large roost. Mind you I wouldn’t want a roost here. Neither would the local Farmer. And could you imagine how much Bird droppings there would be. I reckon it would be better to site a webcam in some one else’s back yard.

The first Snowdrops flowered here today, and the Daffodils along are driveway are coming up very fast. With the Horses being turned out until after Christmas, it seems a lot earlier. We are normally getting really fed up mucking the Horses out by this time of the year. With a bit of luck we have only a couple of months left.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number one.

Sorry Sue, forgot to put your word about the Greyhound. They are on now.

Hello Mr. Farmer, Here are three photos from my holiday in Cornwall in 2006. Sun setting over West Penwith. As you can see, it was quite stunning, looking almost like a fireball! Not very clear, but is in fact an owl carrying some prey – possibly a vole of mouse. Karen in Stoke asked if I went into the little church on the beach – here are some photos. 18th & 19th century graffiti? Beautiful ceiling. Looks as though some one’s been hitting the mead!! Julia.

I decided to go for a walk this morning while it was fine and I took my camera with me. The first photo is of my local church which is just 5 minutes walk from my home and the second one is of the river which is in heavy flood at the moment as you can see. The river is just across the road from the church and when it flooded last summer it actually went into the churchyard. Hope you find them interesting. Sue.

I don’t show the Doves nesting as much as maybe I should. In one place or another on the Farm you can guarantee there is a Dove nest with Chicks in. I put the webcam on that is in one of the stable blocks this afternoon, just as the Dove was moving about on the nest, revealing a newly hatched Chick.

With the Horses being stabled because of the fields being very wet, Ewy has been on her own for a week. She is normally in the Horse field, but for the past couple of days we have not seen her at all until a caught her on the webcam this afternoon. I should think that she spends a lot of her time in the woods. She knows where the Horses are as she sometimes would follow them in at feed time. When I get a bit of time I may try to catch her and put her with the rest of the Sheep in the barn.

Now that the Horses are stabled I cant see them getting turned out in to the field until the Spring. The ground is very waterlogged, not so much with heavy rain, but it is continuous drizzle, that is not giving the ground time to dry. It is also very mild. I cant remember this time of year being as mild as it is now. The way up to the Badgers feeding area are very slippery. I finished up on the ground twice tonight. The steps that my Lads dug into the very steep climb helps me a bit from slipping going to that feeding area. I don’t know if the steps will last in this weather.