Two Ticks

With Dad apparently trans-fixed by "Kate Humble Watch" (and he says it's the Red Kites and Goshawks!) there's been lots of focus round here on wild life. We have our own flying-schools of course, of baby sparrows and starlings, great tits and robins, but then Dad sees above the M2 on his way home the unmistake-able outline of a red kite.

Common now above the M4 and M40, West of London ("normal" but still very impressive) they have not yet officially made it down here to Kent. This one was flapping lazily westward (London Bound). They are a great success story in conversation. When Dad was small they were a great rarity, with only a few pairs breeding in central Wales, but now, 30-40 years later they are spreading fast across western England. It can be only a matter of time before they are as common over the North Downs, as they are over the Chilterns and Mendips.

I have my own wildlife, when 2 ticks attach themselves to the top of my head, exactly symetrically placed, just in front of my ears. So symetrical are they that Dad thinks first, as he tousles my hair, that they are some kind of whisker-base hair follicle. But, No, and they have to go. I bravely succumb to a Mum's tweezers based gentle but firm extraction (She insists that Dad douse the tweezers in boiling water afterwards, for some reason!). I do not even squeak.

Tonight, walking back from the allotments we meet up with Ellie in her front garden and have a nice sisterly chat. It's ages since we met. She already looks gorgeous (inevitably) and not satisfied with that she's off to the groomer tomorrow.

Have a great weekend.

Deefer

Shouting at Springwatch

Ahhh... it's that time of year when we get to sit with Dad and chill out watching the antics of Kate Humble, Bill Oddie, Simon King and assorted other wildlife on Springwatch. Mostly this involves kipping on the back of the sofa, as baby birds still in the nest don't do a lot for us. But there is the occasional treat like tonight when they showed some pheasants displaying, calling and then sparring (or should that be "spurring"?)

Naturally we weren't having pheasants challenging us in our own living room, so they had to be told. This involved lots of bouncing around, standing on the nearest high point (Dad's shoulder and neck) and yelling at them to shut up. In Dad's ear-'ole.

And your point is?....

Deefer

Whickering

Every night at present, when we can be, we are glued to the TV and to Springwatch. It is amazing what attracts the young westie's attention. Last night two baby badgers romping around outside their sett "whickering" as they chased about - that is, making squeaky chirrupping noises. I sit on the back of the sofa and when these beasties appear, my head's up, cocked, and my ears pricked up, but special ones like the badgers have me off the seat and skittering around in front of the TV table, or reared up on my hind legs, to get my face nearer to the screen.

Tonight it was the Barnacle geese flocking in to Islay in October, doing that honking thing that flocks of flying geese do.

Meanwhile, my heat progresses. Dad says I look like one of the saggy-bottom boys. Mum's just pleased I'm not dripping any more blood. I flirt outrageously with Haggis, and even sometimes look amazed to find my tail curled round to my side, but Haggis only has eyes for Meggie, the faithful old boy. All too confusing - grown-up stuff

Deefs

Streaming or Screaming?

At this time of year, Dad is glued to Springwatch on BBC2; lots of footage of birds rearing babies in their nests, foxes, badgers, otters, the Island of Islay etc etc. The Beeb also lay on a service where they run webcams on various nests and you can stream the action live, 24/7 into your PC. So Mum decided to have a click around and see what was on offer.

She's been studying, so Haggis and I were crashed out on the put-me-up bed. Mum found a Jackdaw nest, where all was quiet, as 3 replete, sated baby Jackdaws were sleeping silently. Thinking there was something wrong with the sound track, Mum tweaked up the volume. Just then Mum-Jackdaw came back and the chicks awoke and started such a catawauling crescendo of raucous noise, H and I were up, leppin' off the bed and charging down the stairs a-woofing and carrying on, with Mum yelling "Oy! Silly dogs!, It's only me and the PC! It's on here!".

Tonight had us glued to the TV downstairs,as a bit of footage of foxes, making that all-too-familiar noise that usually has us going tearing down the garden , this time has us racing round the living room to find where the foxes are hiding. Today's pics show me glued to Bill Oddie and Kate Humble, with the second pic showing a fox in a garden. In this case it's about to be whacked by a tawny owl on it's rump.

Entertainment.

Deefs