Yesterday Elsie asked to see some photos of Thornton. Well, as it’s her birthday today, here are a few I hope she’ll like!
We were walking back to the cottage one day and saw Thornton, up on his hind legs eating across the wall. As we approached, he gave us a look as if to say “I’m busy” and just carried on eating!! Regards, Julia.
Starting from number six there are five new photographs on the Photo Page taken by seven year old Finn on his Holiday at Denbury.
A locomotive at Minehead station when we took the kids on the West Somerset Railway.
A view of the Bristol Channel from the train.
A toadstool at the top of the valley at Denbury.
Thornton.
Smuggler and Thornton.
If any of you were watching the Reindeer field this afternoon you may have seen three Birds. They were to far away to be easily recognised but they were a pair of Buzzards with this year youngster’s. It is mainly above this area they they are hunting for food. I should think that the Buzzards nested in this area.
On my walk through the Valley this afternoon I believe that I saw a Rabbit with Myxomatosis. I was a bit of a way from the Rabbit so I could be wrong. The Myxi virus causes tumors on the skin but is noticeable around the eye and nose. The Rabbits with the virus usually die within a couple of weeks, although some Rabbits are immune from it.
Starting from number one there are five new photographs on the Photo page from Lindsay. There is only a few photographs left for a couple of days.
There were masses of Marsh Marigolds in all the ditches on the Isle of Lewis,Outer Hebrides. Lindsay.
A Skylark on the Isle of Lewis.I don’t think it had ever seen a human being ! It was quite tame. Lindsay.
There was absolutely no rubbish on these beaches.This was the Atlantic Ocean near the Butt of Lewis,Outer Hebrides. Lindsay.
Sea Pink grows all over the cliffs .This is the Butt of Lewis with nesting Fulmars’.This was the most northerly point on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. Lindsay.
The Standing Stones of Calanais.Isle of Lewis. Outer Hebrides.These reminded me of Druids standing around but are very much older. Lindsay.
The live streaming web cam at Rye Harbour can see the first (of 26) wind turbine tower erected at Walland Marsh and will be able to watch the blades being installed when the wind calms down. To view the cam, go to the Web Broadcasting Corporation web page click here. Scroll down and click the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve webcam 1 link. To get an idea of scale you can just see the top of the massive electricity pylons to the left of the turbine. The camera is moved by our volunteers and visitors, but I have asked that it be left on the developing wind farm
There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six. Getting short againg.
These are the two birds I spotted near the airport – possibly Grouse? Julia.
This bird the rose- breasted grosbeak- is a very rare visitor to my feeder. I have seen it twice in my 15 years of living on the east coast of America. It arrives for about 20 minutes and is
very placid- Then feeds and flies away. Anjela Connecticut.
This tulip was called Ivory Floradale.I thought it was rather nice. Lindsay.
This is a photo of a Aberdeen Angus taken near Ripley in Derbyshire. Vicky, Derby.
Peacock. Judy.
One of our Holiday guests has been playing football. Unless you had seen it with your own eyes you would not have believed what you were seeing. His opponent was Thornton. Thornton pushes the ball along with his head and seems to enjoy every moment. We have not played with balls with him, so he must have picked it up from Tass and Kye when they were playing with the ball. The Holiday Guest took a photograph of it, but he did not bring the lead with him to download the Camera. He will email it to me when he gets home.
After Thornton’s morning feed he waits by the Farm House kitchen door to go out around to visit the Lambs in the Sheep pen. Yesterday he stayed with them for most of the day, grazing the area close to the pen. The other Lambs and Ewes have accepted him, with the Lambs he is just one of the gang wandering and playing around the Farm. The Lambs are a pain with the garden plants, They try the taste of all of them, I think that there favorite are Pansies. Thornton leaves the gang a couple of times during the day, returning to the Farm House when his feed is due. If the door is closed he bleats and knocks at the door with his feet. No one has taught him that. If the door is ajar he will push it open and in he come as do Tass and Kye and nags at the nearest person to him to give him his bottle. After his feed out he goes to rejoin the Lambs. He always returns of a night but decides his own time. A couple of times we have gone to look for him when it is getting late of an evening. If he is ready he follows us in. If he is not he come back bleating and knocking at the door. It must have been the rain, for today he has been in and out all day. Just now he is sitting very quietly in the kitchen by the sink. You have got to see it to believe it.
Lindsay has asked what Bats she could see on the Farm. I would be pretending if I said I knew. By chance one of the Holiday guests has a gadget that tells you what they are by the noise that they make. He told me earlier what they are. If I remember correctly the Bats on the Lake are Pipistrelle, the others are Noctule. I should think that there may well be other types. The ?Farmhouse loft is full of Bats. I tried a couple of years ago to try to get them on the webcams, but we didn’t see one on the webcam. If we sit outside latish on Summer night we see the Bats coming and going from the roof.
A piece from Elsies local.
Swans cause a flap for rush-hour drivers
Comment
RUSH-hour traffic was brought to a standstill when two swans and their cygnets wandered across a busy road.
Passers-by rushed to stop cars as the six birds tried to cross the busy Claremont Road roundabout in Newcastle city centre today.
Vehicles on the sliproad for the city’s central motorway were stopped in both directions for several minutes.
advertisementThe swans were ushered in the direction of nearby Leazes Park. and once there they headed for the parks lake.
Radio producer Steve Drayton, 47, was cycling to work when he saw the swans.
“I saw the traffic backed up in all directions. At first I thought there had been an accident then I saw the swans,” he said.
“They were being ushered across the road by two ladies from the roundabout where it seems they had roosted for the night.
“But they were heading for a slip road so I jumped off my bike and helped steer them back towards the park.”
There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number eleven. Nearly out of photographs.
Just after sunrise. Julia.
A Pair of Crested Grebe. They were displaying just before this photo was taken. Judy.
Mixture of tulips in my front borders. Karen.
I told one of you about this clematis called Pixie, well here it is in bloom but not fully grown yet. Elsie.
MY SWEET LITTLE CAT TIGGS WHO WE LOST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SHE WAS REALLY TINY AND VERY AFRAID OF EVERYTHING APART FROM US . LYNNE
Thornton went missing yesterday. We spent a good two hours looking for him. We thought that he may have gone down the valley on his own and spent a while looking for him down there.
For the past three to four days we have been letting Thornton out of the Farm House to free roam around the Farm. Gradually he has been. getting adventurous and going out of sight from where we can see him, but he could always be found close by, often returning when called. On a number of occasions before we have let him free roam, we have taken Thornton to the Sheep pen. He was not made welcome by the Ewes. He never went into the pen but the Ewes would try to butt him through the bars. The other Lambs would avoid him when he attempted to mix with them. We looked around the Lake and in the Stream, passing the Sheep pen on the way. It was only by chance that we stopped to look at the Lambs in the Sheep pen on the way back. It was there that we found him,. sitting in between a couple of Lambs, as if this had been his life since being born.
We called Thornton’s name expecting him to follow us back to the Farm House. It was well past his feed time so he must have been wanting his bottle, but other than as quick glance our way we were completely ignored. We returned to the Sheep pen with his feed. By this time he was out of the pen grazing with the other Lambs. He came straight to his bottle, drinking the milk down in double quick time. There was no stopping him from going into the Sheep pen where the Lambs had returned to when we approached with Thornton’s milk. One of the Ewes went up to him to see who it was. That was the only contact. It was if she was acknowledging his return. Thornton followed the Lambs around the pen, settling whey they did.
We had already decided that we were going to Minehead for some fish and chips. As Thornton looked settled in the Sheep pen we decided that we would leave him there until we returned. On returning, we found Thornton waiting by the Farm House door. He came straight into the Farm House and crashed out on one of the Dog beds that he has made his own, where he was so worn out. We are wondering if Thornton will eventually go back to being a Sheep. He didn’t wonder off today, but when we went to the Sheep pen went inside. As the day before one of the Ewes acknowledged him, and Thornton walked around with the other Lambs.
Sorry I have just got in, fed the Badgers and I now need to answer some important emails. I will do the photographs and Diary tomorrow with a nice story about Thornton.
There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six.
Wild Mute Swans over wintering near Glastonbury. Lindsay.
The Old Blacksmiths Shop. Gretna Green. Scotland Grey Mares Tail Waterfall. Queen. Judy.
Beeny and fuzz watching a film show in a mock old Cinema at the Lowry Art Gallery in Salford. Angela Kent.
The greenhouse at Leeds castle. Bec.
MY FRIEND IN AUSTRALIA WHO RESCUES KANGAROOS SENT ME THIS. LYNNE.
The Swallows that have been arriving for the past few days are chasing each other all around the Farm Yard, it must be some sort of courtship. For sure when they are doing it we know that Summer warm days are not far away. We haven’t done anything during the Winter that would stop them from using their nests from last year. We had intended to finish a barn conversation during the Winter, that just didn’t seem to happen. We wont do anything to it that would disturb them during the Swallows nesting period.
We had hoped this year to have had a Sand Martin nesting colony on the webcams. If you remember we were talking to people who I would not disclose who they were. It was the Crown Estates that we were talking to, but although I sent a camera and all the equipment for them to try I haven’t heard from them, and I must admit I had been to busy to pursue it. I will talk to them on Monday, but I shouldn’t think that any thing will happen for a while. The Crown Estates do a lot of work on their Estates for Wildlife and the Sand Martin nesting site is one that they made.
We did send last week a camera to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, for their visitors centre in Scotland. It will be used to show a Swallows nest in their visitors centre. They like our webcam site. If they can convince their powers to be at their monthly get together, the site is a possibility. Keep your fingers crossed.
This morning the weather was quite warm and we made the decision to go to Minehead this evening for fish and chips. We could well regret that decision as it is turning a bit chilly. That is why Elsie you wont see Tass, Kye and Thornton on their walk today. It is mostly after 3.30 and before 5.30pm depending on what time we decide to finish off feeding the Animals. Today we let Thornton out for the first time whilst we mucked out the Horses. He normally stays close to us in the Farm House and on our the walks. He didn’t when we were working. To be honest he was a nuisance. He just kept disappearing causing us to have to keep looking for him in case a car came down the drive. Thornton having no road sense would have been liable to have been run over. I wouldn’t have mined if he had made a visit to his family, but he kept right away from the Sheep. It took double the time to muck out, it wont be happening tomorrow.
There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number one. A few photographs were sent in today so we are able to put five on tonight.
A PARAKEET THAT HAS VISITED OUR GARDEN A FEW TIMES LYNNE.
The Italian Chapel made by the Italian prisoners of war at Scapa Flow on the island of Orkney. It was made from a nissen hut and concrete used to build the Churchill barriers on Scapa Flow. Lindsay.
Newquay Harbour. Wales. Judy.
I’ve seen these sheep several times and thought they had similar markings to Thornton. Usually I don’t have a camera or am unable to stop the car. Today, however, Chris was driving and I DID have the camera! I’d always thought that only Rams had horns, but now I find that in some breeds Ewes also have them. I was going to ask whether Thornton’s Mum had ever been to Barrow Gurney where these were photographed. (I remembered that you were unsure of Thornton’s paternity!!!)Julia.
I took this picture of this unusual looking tree at Savil Gardens in Surrey. Bec.
We saw our first Swallow of the year yesterday evening. As I went into the Barn to get the Badger food, one flew out. It must have missed hitting me by a whisker, It frightened the life out out of me. A few years ago before I did the webcams one hit me in the side of the head. It didn’t do either of us a lot of good. The Swallow fell to the ground, I thought that it had killed itself. I picked it up, after a minute or so it flew away. I will try to get the camera working in the Barn why they are building their nest.
We have had another pair of Geese hanging about around the Lake for most of the day. The two pairs have been honking awasy all day long. The new pair landed on the Lake a couple of times, that put the resident Gander on the war path. Other than the Moorhens and Coots he chases off everything that he sees, including Tass and Kye, so with a bit of luck and the Ganders aggression the Gosling when they hatch may survive this year.
There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six. Getting low on photographs again.
Penguins at Birdworld. Bec.
THIS IS ONE OF TWO THAT FELL DOWN OUT OF A NEST ONTO SOMEONES GARAGE ROOF THEY WERE VERY COLD AND SKINNY SO I THINK THEY WERE PROBABLY TRYING TO FIND MUM WHO WAS MISSING.THEY ARE JUST ABOUT EATING ON THEIR OWN BUT ARE STILL NEEDING MILK. Lynne.
Donkey took at Markeaton park in Derby. Vicky.
For Sue know how she loves these. Elaine.
This is the fist snow Ally has seen. He didn’t quite know what to make of it. Jacqui.
The new Barn Owl Nest Box webcam is now live. You may have noticed there is one egg in the nest. It was only laid today. The Barn cam will be going as soon a possible. We did not preview the webcam for very long before going live so the camera will be adjusted over the next few days, to get the best picture.
I have been trying to get a Barn Owl nest on the webcams for a couple of years. The ideal people to do it with were the Barn Owl Trust. They found the right location last year. Since then the Trust has been working on the project to have it running this year. We supplied all the equipment for the webcams. I didn’t realise that there would be as much light in the nest box or I would have supplied a colour and night camera. Installing a new camera now would possibly disturb the Barn Owls. We did have another location that wanted us to put their Barn Owls on our website, but it was right to do as we have.
We have been allowing Thornton to have more time out of his home in the washroom. He has found a spot under the kitchen table to lie when he is not running around with Tass and Kye. This afternoon we had the kitchen door open. Tass and Kye come in and out as they want when ever it is left open. Thornton did the same, and I must admit we did forget about him. Tass and Kye normally stay close to the Farm House and never leave the Farm Yard. This afternoon when we realised about Thornton, we called out for Tass and Kye, knowing that Thornton would be close behind when they came in. None of them came at all. A few minutes after shouting loud to Tass and Kye all three came running back to the Farm House from the direction of the Valley field. Obviously Thornton had decided after being taken for his walks in the valley, that he was going to make his own way there. Tass and Kye must have decided to follow. It makes a good story and we did laugh, but of course the serious part is how far would they have got if we had not realised that all three were missing.
There are five new photograps on the Photo page, starting from number six. Getting low on photographs again.
Penguins at Birdworld. Bec.
THIS IS ONE OF TWO THAT FELL DOWN OUT OF A NEST ONTO SOMEONES GARAGE ROOF THEY WERE VERY COLD AND SKINNY SO I THINK THEY WERE PROBABLY TRYING TO FIND MUM WHO WAS MISSING.THEY ARE JUST ABOUT EATING ON THEIR OWN BUT ARE STILL NEEDING MILK. Lynne.
Donkey took at Markeaton park in Derby. Vicky.
For Sue know how she loves these. Elaine.
This is the fist snow Ally has seen. He didn’t quite know what to make of it. Jacqui.
The new Barn Owl Nest Box webcam is now live. You may have noticed there is one egg in the nest. It was only laid today. The Barn cam will be going as soon a possible. We did not preview the webcam for very long before going live so the camera will be adjusted over the next few days, to get the best picture.
I have been trying to get a Barn Owl nest on the webcams for a couple of years. The ideal people to do it with were the Barn Owl Trust. They found the right location last year. Since then the Trust has been working on the project to have it running this year. We supplied all the equipment for the webcams. I didn’t realise that there would be as much light in the nest box or I would have supplied a colour and night camera. Installing a new camera now would possibly disturb the Barn Owls. We did have another location that wanted us to put their Barn Owls on our website, but it was right to do as we have.
We have been allowing Thornton to have more time out of his home in the washroom. He has found a spot under the kitchen table to lie when he is not running around with Tass and Kye. This afternoon we had the kitchen door open. Tass and Kye come in and out as they want when ever it is left open. Thornton did the same, and I must admit we did forget about him. Tass and Kye normally stay close to the Farm House and never leave the Farm Yard. This afternoon when we realised about Thornton, we called out for Tass and Kye, knowing that Thornton would be close behind when they came in. None of them came at all. A few minutes after shouting loud to Tass and Kye all three came running back to the Farm House from the direction of the Valley field. Obviously Thornton had decided after being taken for his walks in the valley, that he was going to make his own way there. Tass and Kye must have decided to follow. It makes a good story and we did laugh, but of course the serious part is how far would they have got if we had not realised that all three were missing.
TC. As far as we can we try to be give every organisation represented on our web site the same exposure opportunities as each other. We are fortunate that those represented have allowed us to broadcast for them. I am sure that you will understand. We will be changing the thumbnails again over the next couple of days.