Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Young moorhens


Angus and Sophie saunter across the village green to open up the church. With the village cut off by roadworks there is no traffic on the roads with the sole exception of the matron of the old folks home. She waves as she heads off for the six am handover. After she passes we don't see - or hear - another soul.

The flags are still out on the war memorial. The Old Mayor used to take them down after three days. The New Mayor is less diligent. He is of the school that says ' Why take them down when there's another holiday coming along next month ?'

Parliamentary elections are set for a couple of weeks time. The noticeboards have gone up outside the village hall. The boards still have the remains of posters from last months Presidential elections.


As we pass the village pond a cohort of young moorhens scoot into the safety of the long shrubs that line the waters edge. Sophie looks up and glares but carries on with her morning perambulation. Moorhen chicks clearly aren't seen as a threat.


While Angus tops up the level of the pool ( it's amazing how much evaporates away overnight ) the family diva heads off to the shade by the door.


This is where she will spend much of morning until it gets too hot.



 

6 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Looking forward to seeing a clear shot of this year's young moorhens.
Having spent several days last month close to the ground surveying plantlife in tick infested Torridon, this morning's second link is a good prompt to stay vigilant about giving both Nobby and myself regular tick checks.
Cheers, Gail.

Coppa's girl said...

Your first photo has a a touch of the alien planet/Marie Celeste look about it!
I'm hoping that Inca's tick collar will deter any would-be invaders. The collars have worked on all our dogs so far, but there's always the worry of a new resistant strain.
Hopeful you'll be able to catch the moorhen chicks on camera, before they grow up and leave home.

Angus said...

Having lost Digby to a tick we've become hyper cautious. Sophie gets both a monthly tablet and wears a collar. Of the two I reckon the tablet provides greater protection and seems to be eaten and digested without any problems. The tick population, the vet believes, is carried into peoples garden by deer.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari OM
In Australia, the Paralysis Tick is an ever-present threat for pet owners (and not pleasant for the peeps) - then there was the risk of Lyme Disease. I thought on returning to Scotland that I'd leave all such stuff behind me, only to discover that the place has been invaded by Deer Ticks which also carry Lyme Disease and are a threat to pets... Jade used to get the ingestives plus collar Angus says Sophie uses; it was pretty effective and I only recall ever really having to pick a handful of ticks from her over 14.75 years. Fleas, though, were an entirely different kettle of nibblers... YAM xx

Travel said...

There by the door, guarding and resting, how sweet

Susan said...

I have an Australian friend who has the tick borne mammalian meat allergy. She never saw the tick that gave it to her. Boy is she sick of chicken.