Blog - Page 89 of 109 - Farm Holiday Cottages - Fishing and Wildlife Holidays

We had the fright of our life when we got back from our fish and chip supper at Minehead last night. On our way driving down our lane we ass the Holiday Cottages lawns, when a caught a quick sight of white. I didn’t have to think about it or even look, for I knew that the Sheep that were meant to be fenced in around the lake, were on the lawns grazing. It was getting on and would be dark within half an hour, so we needed to get them back fenced in quickly. They were obviously enjoying the new grass that always shoots up after the lawn are mowed, so it wasn’t going to get them back to their well bare plot of land, so bare that we need to feed them hay every night and morning. The intention was to send six of them and four lambs to Market on Saturday. The new out break of foot and mouth has put a stop to that.

I really was surprised that all of the sheep had got out of the fenced area. Two of the Portland Rams keep getting out of the fenced area but stay around the lake. The battery on the electric fencer is well charged so I would expect them to get a fair shock, that would normally stop them from escaping. I can only think that somehow they are using their horns to get through the wire without receiving any shock. It took a fair bit of running around and the rattling of a feed bags, but we did eventually get them back. the Sheep had got out by walking over a fence that had fallen over. Our Holiday guests have been moving the wrong gate to get to the fishing lake and it had fallen down. My fault as I had not told them not to move the gate.

It is going to be a bit of a disaster for a lot of Livestock farmer with this new outbreak of Foot and Mouth. A lot of fodder that was made for Winter feed has been used already. Hay, Silage and Straw is more expensive than it has ever been. Cereals are fetching extremely high prices due to the Chinese importing more than the have ever have, and in the USA quite a lot is being used to make fuel. When I purchased my Horse feed this week it had increased in prices by a

We went to Minehead this evening for our Fish and Chip. Because the weather forecast was for a sunny warm day, we decided last night that we were going today. Guess what, those overpaid useless forecasters got it wrong again, actually I think it should be as usual instead of again. The best part of it is that we pay for them to get it wrong. Today instead of being sunny it has been overcast all day. They got it wrong a couple of days ago, they blamed it on thin cloud. What do they mean by thin cloud. Clouds, cloud, with satellite unless you are looking in the wrong place you cant miss it. Any way thins cloud is a new one on me. It did start spitting a few drops of rain as well, that wasn’t forecast either, our small bales of hay are still in the field.

At least it was quite warm at Minehead. The Fish and Chips were good, and and we got there a little earlier today than we normally do, so we had a little time to mooch around. We parked on the Harbour. Whilst eating a few men came with their speedboat and water ski’s. The water looked a bit to cold to be standing in, but one of the men was nearly chest high in the water. Cant imagine the wetsuits that they use can keep them that warm in the water. Anyway we had a good view of them starting off. That looked a bit hairy with the speed that they need to get started. Love to try it, but maybe not so fast.

Walking around the harbour, we came across three children with their parents. they were all fishing with hand lines. For crabs they told us. I suppose that their ages where about nineish. They were fishing from the steps that go from the top of the harbour to beach below. It is very high and the tide was coming in. Minehead is in the Bristol Channel, the second highest tide in the world, with very strong currents. About a month back a fifteen year old was Tomb Stoning off of the very same harbour in the same conditions as this evening. The poor lad got swept under the water with the current, and lost his life. A fisherman a couple of weeks back who we know, showed us where the Lad was found, just feet from the Harbour Wall. So I must admit it was a worry watching the children trying to catch the crabs, but I am sure that their parents were looking out for them, and they did look local. One Lass not with the family, pulled out a net in the shape of a bowls, she must have have over ten in the net. The three children with their hand lines caught one each just after the girl. Their parents were helping them get the crabs off of the bait, one fell onto the Lad, did he scream, that it was so close to getting on him. We did laugh, and I had to jokingly call him a wuss. He laughed him self.

We also spoke to a couple of locals, who were fishing off of the Harbour Wall. By all account they can catch a good variety of fish. Cod, Whiting, Pollock, Ray and a lot more than I cannot remember. Tongue in cheek I asked if they ate what they caught, for I must admit I would not be to keen to eat any thing from the Bristol Channel, they do, mind you they didn’t look to bad for it.

It didn’t finish there, for as we were leaving the Life Boats where starting to do their practice, We couldn’t stay and watch it all or we would not have got back in time to feed the Badgers. What we did see was very good. It turned out to be a very good evening. Well little things please little minds.

Chris Speering from the Hawk ad Owl Trust visited the Farm on Monday. All in all it was a very interesting meeting, and we learnt a lot from the couple of hours that he was here.

We may be lucky with the Kingfisher, for they do not always migrate. If there is plenty of food for them where they are, they quite often stay. For sure there is a lot of fish in the lake. One of our holiday quests fished a 10lb Carp from the lake last night, not that the Kingfisher would be very interested in that size for a meal. Or guest has seen the Kingfisher a lot whilst he has been fishing. He has been perching on the Bullrushes around the island, very close to where he was fishing.

Chris is involved with a release programme for three Tawney Owls. It is to happen very soon. It is only a maybe, as the broadband connection at the location is not very good, but if it can be arranged we may put a camera at the site. The Young Tawny Owls are encouraged back to a location, so that they can be helped on their initial release. Eventually they will not return and start to fend for themselves.

Chris is to make a report about Denbury and what we do, for the Hawk and Owl Trust. Hopefully this may open more opportunities for additional webcams on our site.

The Lock of the Lowe’s have changed the Red Squirrel and Pine martin camera that we sent to them. The close up camera is now in focus both day and night and is much better.

Bliss came in lame again this morning, I thought that one poultice would have drawn the infected area, and that she would have been sound this morning. The poultice was still on her foot. With the infected area partly open I was surprised to see her limping. We will try to draw the poison out by soaking her foot in hot salty water, this very often works as a poultice would, in open wounds.

One entry on the forum asked if the Badgers were taking longer to eat the feed I put out, or was I putting out more. I thought they were eating it quicker than ever. I have not bee increasing the feed that I put out, and I wont be, as they the way they are breeding they must be getter more than ample.

I wasn’t watching the Badger tonight, so I couldn’t say if the limping Badger was out or not tonight, although I have seen it recently.

When the Horses came in this morning for their feed, Bliss was very lame. She came in limping and feeling very sorry for herself. It is the same leg as she had the infection in her hoof two weeks ago. Then the poison in the hoof made its own way out. In most cases it does happens like that, by far it is the best way for an infection to cure itself, as normally it does not inflame again. Having the infected area opened or poulticed will very often leave some of the poison in the infected area, and it will need further poulticing or treatment. On inspecting the underneath of her hoof it seems what happened was that where the poison released itself, a large pebble got stuck in to the release area and stopped all of the poison from draining out. We removed the pebble from the hole hoping that the remainder of the poison would come out over the day, whilst Bliss was in the field walking around grazing. Unfortunately it didn’t and we decided that we would poultice the infected area.

All those of you who were watching the webcams when Bliss was born at Denbury, about eighteen months ago will know what a star she has been from the first day of her being born. She has been the most friendly and easy Horse that we have ever had, I would even say that we have known. Even with easy Horses like Bliss, when they have pain and you need to treat them they can be very wary of what is going on, especially when they have never hardly had their feet lifted up.

To poultice the infected hoof you need first to clean the area with a hoof pick, and wash it out thoroughly. the hoof pick would have given Bliss a bit of discomfort. A hot poultice is then put over the wound, using an old sock to keep it in place, held with vet rap, a type of sticky bandage. As Bliss was being turned out tonight we needed to make sure that the poultice stayed on. We use a large corner of a thick plastic feed bag, held with gaffer tape. To a young filly like Bliss it is an awful lot of messing about. She was absolutely brilliant, allowing us to do every thing that was needed without a sign of protest. Hopefully by the morning the poulticing would have done the job an Bliss will be back to normal without any pain.

Chris Speering from the Hawk and Owl Trust visited this morning, I will tell you about the meeting in tomorrows diary. We walked the whole farm with him, and as if on cue the Buzzard youngster flew over head squawking as loud as it could. We asked Chris about it disappearing for the week that it has. By all accounts the Adult parents hide from the youngster to help it leave their territory, The youngster looks in for the parent in different areas. We may be lucky to catch it on the webcam again before it leaves for good.

I made it a point yesterday to walk through the valley, I went on my own at about midday. The main reason for me walking the valley was to see if I could see or hear the Buzzards, I would usually have taken Tass and Kye with me, but being that we have recently seen a number of Deer on the webcams, there would be more of a chance of seeing them , if I were on my own, if there were any. Tass will come to heel immediately she is called, or when we need to be very quite, I only need to click my fingers. Kye is very good, but she does hesitate, and has not yet got use to coming to heel as Tass, when I click my fingers.

Although the whole Denbury is in a valley, I call the part where the valley camera is, the start. To get to where the valley starts you need to pass through the orchard on the track that also passes the Bird and Squirrel feeders. Once into the valley I crossed the stream making my way up the hill to the wood, that you can see on the right hand side. I walked along that wood first, as it is the wood that I believe that the Buzzards nest. Every year I try to find the nest, but I have never managed to find it. You can also usually see the Adult Buzzard fly close to the side of the wood.

There was no sign of any of the Buzzards. I turned left at the end of the wood making my way down the hill, crossing the stream at the far end, then turning right into the little paddock that I described as my favorite spot on the farm. The small bales of hay that we had made last week were still lying where they had been made. Seeing them reminded me that the contractor had not brought them in. They need to be in before any rain, being small bales they would spoil, if rained on.

There were a number of the bales of hay under the old Ash tree. I pulled a few of them together so that I could lay out for few minutes to listen to the quietness. I must have dozed off for a few seconds, only to be woken by a distant shotgun being discharged, At the same time a movement to my right, made me look into that direction of the wood, just as a Red Deer Calf came out of the wood. With the paddock being small, the wood is only at the most ten metres from where I was laying. I didn’t move a muscle as it made its way to my direction, grazing the new grass that was shooting up after being mowed to make the hay. Within a minute the Hind followed into the paddock, after jumping over an low barbed wire, that was once part of an old fence.

I was surprised that the Hind had not noticed me, especially as a light breeze would have been blowing my scent into her direction, obviously she hadn’t, for both the Calf and Hind carried on grazing, at times within three metres of me, for at least twenty minutes. Keeping still in the position I was in was making me ache and stiffen up, giving me little alternative but to sit up. I moved very slowly so as not to frighten the Deer to much. The Hind looked at me then carried on grazing. It was not until I stood up did she slowly make her way back into the wood, with her calf following close behind. later that evening I managed to catch them on the webcam.

Tonight just after I had finished feeding the Badger I had to go a local Supermarkets Pharmacy on an errand. I made sure that the cameras set before I went. I did drive quite fast as it was a fair way. Just about a half a mile from Denbury, along a minor road a young Tawney Owl flying low as if it was swooping onto its prey flew into the front wing of my car. I stopped and picked it up, hoping that it had just been stunned, It was not dead at the time, but unfortunately died about ten minutes later.

By the time I got home it is now a bit late to finish the Diary. I will tomorrow.

I have been surprised at the sudden disappearance of the young Buzzard. In fact I have not seen or heard any of the Adult Buzzards for about the same time. I should think that it was at the beginning of this week that I last saw the youngster. I had it on the main Badger webcam sitting on the fence. Maybe one of our viewers saw it, please let me know what day if you did.

I was speaking to a birding person earlier this evening about the Buzzard suddenly disappearing. He thought it odd, but did say that the parent Birds do chase their youngsters away from their territory, and when the Adult Buzzards malt, they can be a little elusive, but is this that time. I cant remember it in other years, although this year was the first that I had one of the youngster on the webcam for as long as I have.

There can various reasons for the sudden disappearance of any Animals or Birds. Birds of Prey have always been a target for Gamekeepers trying to protect the shooting for their employer, many as well as their employers are prosecuted in the courts. Gamekeepers poison dead Rabbits for the Bird of Prey to eat. What a way for them to die. Obviously it really does concern me that one possibility is that the Buzzards have been poisoned or shot. Chris Speering from the Hawk and Owl trust is visiting Denbury on Monday. I will speak to him about the sudden disappearance and take his advice. Another option is to speak to the RSPB.

Some weeks back when I made my views known on Game and Rough shooting, I did not go into the killing of Birds of Prey by poisoning that is done by Gamekeepers to stop Birds of Prey from taking the Game Birds, that are put down for their so called sport. This shows even more why this type of shooting should be banned. Of course Landowners have to control various Animals and Birds or their crops would suffer. Unfortunately most shot for enjoyment, I wonder for why. Very little that is shot is eaten. All the Landowners that I know don’t need the few pence that they would get for a brace of Pheasants or a few Rabbits. I suppose it could be that it is the only way that some try to prove their manhood, sad.

I could be wrong about the disappearance of the Buzzards, and tomorrow they will all be back. I hope so. I will let you know..

Val you must learn to count, there were three Swallows in the nest, when I turned the camera on this morning. Mind you I think two of them have been in and out of the nest all day. I should think that they will all out at some time tomorrow. I will keep the camera panned out so that you can hopefully watch their progress.

Finished the concreting in the base for the new camera tower today. As one of my Lads said, just got to hope that we don’t find one of the Badgers cemented in, when we check it in the morning. The concrete will take a few days to set, so that we can put the tower up.

It was good to see the report that Ospreys have been seen on the Chew Valley waters. Of course unless we know if they are ringed and what number they have, we can never be sure where they have been nesting, or what nest they originated from. It would be good if they came from the Lock of the Lowe’s, but I should think that they are more than likely to have come from a site in Wales.

Osprey were once visitors all over the British Isles. Being that they are using Chew Valley as a stop over, there could be a chance that a pair may nest there at some time. As I told you last week, Peter DeMarie from Delaware USA, contacted me last week about webcams at a site that is just a couple of hundred yards from his home. Peter is a Osprey monitoring volunteer for the State of Delaware. He has emailed me some photographs of the site that is by his house. The Osprey nest is a platform on top of a pole. It is in the middle of a lake surrounded by houses. The complete opposite to the sites in the British Isles, that seem to be in isolated areas or on Water Companies Lakes and reservoirs. I will try to have a word with the people in charge of Chew Valley. Who knows they may be interested in a webcam at their site, for at a quick glance, they do have a large assortment of wildlife there.

The fish and chips shop we use in Minehead is called the Sheppards Plaice, Alcombe Road. It has recently been taken over. Although the food is very good and cooked fresh why you wait, is just a tiny bit not as good as it was, with the previous owners. Don’t dare use the shops that cater for the holiday makers, it crap. There is a little place on the front at Minehead, we were quite late and went and ordered from it. They got the fish out of a packet. Needless to say we finished up being a little later. Don’t know what they did with our order, but I reckon the Gulls would have turned their nose up at it.

The main badger camera has been up for about two and a half years. I have told you before that it is on a telegraph post a least thirty foot up in the air. None of us a Denbury are keen on height, properly an understatement. The Lads are better than me with heights, but they would not go up the telegraph post. When I first came to Denbury I could hardly stand on a chair without being petrified, three rungs up a later and that was about it. In the past three years since I have been doing the webcams, I have got a lot better, but I am still not happy at the top of a small ladder. The picture quality of the cameras that are high up, do suffer as they don’t get cleaned as they should. Rain stains, cobwebs and dirt ruin the picture quality. A while back I told you that I thought that I would have to change the main Badger camera as I was having a little trouble with it. Fortunately the problem sorted it self out, although one of kind viewers did offer us assistance with changing the camera.

Hopefully we should now not have that problem any longer, for a kind company has donated to us a real posh, proper CCTV tower that tilts over with a winch. Today my Lads have been digging the hole to put in the bolts to hold the tower in place. As the tower weighs nearly 200 kilo the hole has got to be very big to hold the tower in place. Tomorrow we will be concreting the hole to secure the bolts. I should think that we will need to mix over a tonne of concrete. All I hope is that it is not to hot, like it was today, or it is going to be hard work. I suppose you can guess that we have finished making our last hay, by not wanting it to be to warm. Once the bolts are concreted in we will need to wait a week, to make sure that the base is really strong, for the weight of the tower. Of course we then have the problem of getting the camera down from the telegraph pole. When it is done it will make the keeping the camera clean and maintained a lot easier.

I read that someone wants the closeup camera of the Lock of the Lowe’s Squirrel and Pine Martin back. The camera was changed over, as focus was really out of a night. I sent a new camera and lens up to the centre last week. They Hope to have it working this week some time.

On Sunday the Badgers were a bit jumpy, our new holiday guests were using the hide, they possibly may have spooked them. You can always tell if the hide is being used, by the Fox not being about. You would think by the way that the urban Fox ignore humans, our Fox would be use to them by now.

Those Rabbits are big. I should think that they are getting a bit of the Badger feed. If they get much bigger they may be t slow to get out of the way of the Fox or Badgers, to both they would make a good feast.

Sue should have been at Minehead for the past two evenings. We went there last night for fish and chips. Didn’t stay to long as it wasn’t to warm, even with a jumper on. Tonight was a different story, it was so warm that we didn’t need jumpers, and for a change we had a Chinese take away. Bit messy on the beach, but well worth it. It did start to blow up a bit. Time to get back to Denbury.

Our boiler stopped working last night. I have been smelling oil around the tank area fr a while. On checking the tank the bottom had started to rust away. It looked more like a sieve than a tank. I knew that I would have to change the tank sometime soon, and by luck when I went to our farm suppliers last Saturday, they had one on one side. Whats this I asked one of the assistants. It a double tank but the outside tank has a split in it, the inside tank is good but we cant get the outside one renewed, I was told. I jumped in quick, how much do you want for it I asked. I thought that I may have been told two or three hundred pounds. Fifty pounds he said. That fifty pound was out of my pocket and into his hands so quick that I didn’t realise that I had given it to him. What a stroke of luck, it was meant to be. I never for one moment thought that I would have needed it as soon as I did.

I was up very early this morning, to go and collect the new oil tank. The old metal one was well covered in bramble, it took one of my Lads and myself a good hour to clear the bramble, to be able to get the old tank out. We needed to get a rope around the tank, to pull it out of its place. The only way we were going to move it was to drag it out with my car, with my Lad driving. Instead of just pulling it out, it started to tip forward, it didn’t help as it was a steepish incline, and then it suddenly started to roll, how this big heavy metal cube could roll as quick as it did I will never know. It must have weighed three hundred weight, and there it was bouncing and rolling into the direction of my car. The car was attached to it by the rope, so there was no way that my Lad could get away from the tank. I screamed out to him to pull it as fast as he could, in the hope that once off of the incline it would stop rolling. Fortunately it did and the car and tank came to a standstill, a good hundred yards from where it started.

Now to the point of the story, when we looked behind the place where the tank was, we found what looks like a new Badger sett, that our Badgers have started. It could be an extension of the main sett, but I am not to sure, as there is a large rock area in between the main sett and the new excavations. We have built two stables into the rocks, that is how large and rocky it is. It is also a good twelve metres from the nearest hole of the main sett. The main sett, if it is an extension would now be a good fifty metres plus. The new sett is just a few feet from the farm house.

Farm Holiday Cottages – Fishing and Wildlife Holidays

We had the fright of our life when we got…

We went to Minehead this evening for our Fish and…

Chris Speering from the Hawk ad Owl Trust visited the…

When the Horses came in this morning for their feed…

I made it a point yesterday to walk through the…

Tonight just after I had finished feeding the Badger I…

I have been surprised at the sudden disappearance of the…

Finished the concreting in the base for the new camera…

The fish and chips shop we use in Minehead is…

I read that someone wants the closeup camera of the…