Look what I found today

I can't wait to see video of all these lil sweeties! Had to chuckle at the visual of you standing aside for the kits to accend the ladder to the loft.

Make Way for Kittens!!

Bob, you do realise you're storing up endless fodder for nearly-wordless illustrated kiddy books here?

Sad news today I'm afraid. Last Tuesday I went to feed the midden kits and Smokey was missing. I found him crouched alongside a pile of bricks, soaking wet from the rain and weak. I took him into the cubicle house, got a towel from the tack room and dried him off. I put the food down as usual and he tried to get up to the table, got halfway up the ramp and fell on his side and rolled down. I picked him up, checked him for signs of injury (there were none that I could see) and put him next to the food and he started eating it. Next time I went in (about an hour later) he had got down from the table and was crouched on the floor. I picked him up and he snuggled into me and started purring. I thought we had turned a corner but when I went back in another hour later, there was no sign of him at all. I scoured the midden, the barn, the back of the barn and cubicle house and all round the lagoon area, but there was no sign of him.
I checked up in the hayloft as the kits go up there and 'help' their big brothers to eat their dinner. A vain hope as I didn't think he had the strength to get up there. Had to take Beryl back to Liverpool. I told Dave about Smokey and he promised me that he would look for him a bit later. Sent me a text to say that he couldn't see him either.
I suspect that he had been attacked by a fox or badger. He probably got away, but had received some sort of internal damage.
When I got back today only the two black kits came to greet me. I've searched again but there's no sign of the little guy. I fear that we.ve lost the little fellow.

I don't know what to say. I'm so sad and sorry.

There is an upside to all this (or a downside depending on your outlook and the limited space in the kitchen and conservatory) the two black kits came from the midden, through the farmyard, around the back of the bullpen (no, not the Marvel one) and down the yard and into the conservatory. I was sitting in the kitchen when I got invaded by them.
I took a video of the little blighters checking the place over (which I'll upload to You tube and post a link). The barefaced cheek of them.

The aforementioned link.
https://s226.photobucket.com/albums/dd4/Vyrt/?action=view¤t=MPG00008-1.mp4

ooo soo sweet......was that purring or was that the camera i was hearing?

I think that was Bob purring, Jeane. They're lovely, Bob, and very sweet. And so is our Pol, a serene and gracious Princess, indeed.

You might end up with a full house this winter; cats, rats, dogs, and who knows who! May you all be very cosy together.

Awwwww, those kitties are so cute. I see one was really enamoured by you Bob. I couldn't hear the purring, but I could easily imagine it was loud while that kit was all over that camera vying for your attention. I see Pol is quite accepting and calm around kits, and greeted them like she would a dog. Shame the kit didn't appreciate the gesture much.

Don't know about not accepting the gesture Fif, she rubs noses with Pol at the end. lol

They do touch noses! After the proper dog greeting, of course.

P.S. Must say I also greatly enjoyed the previous video in the queue of Ms. Muscovy and her fluffy ducklings with featured cameos by Pol and Miss Pippa. (If you posted that here before, Bob, I missed it.)

Suzzzz wrote:They do touch noses! After the proper dog greeting, of course.

P.S. Must say I also greatly enjoyed the previous video in the queue of Ms. Muscovy and her fluffy ducklings with featured cameos by Pol and Miss Pippa. (If you posted that here before, Bob, I missed it.)

I hadn't posted that one Suzzzz. I think I forgot to in all honesty.
We lost one of Mrs Muscovy's ducklings to a fox, so she is down to five as of yesterday afternoon.

Found several dead partridges too. The result of a shoot on the adjoining fields. The gunmen just blast the birds as they fly overhead and their gundogs collect the ones they can see. Some of the birds are fatally wounded and escape to relative safety, only to die from their wounds.

My sympathy's to Mrs. Muscovy............ and whatever family those poor partridges had.

I have a feeling the kit was showing Pol the proper kitty greeting, touching noses.

I don't want to get into the pros and cons of hunting; it's done so many different ways and for so many different reasons all over the globe. But I will say that anyone who hunts merely for "sport" and can't be bothered to track and collect all their game disgusts me. If you want to play with guns, that's what skeets are for.

Agreed. It isn't the gun dogs' fault either. Hunters should be able to count what they've shot and know whether their dogs have found all the birds. Sigh... Poor birdies.

Do you have wild turkeys by you, Bob? We have flocks and flocks of them right now. The kids are almost full grown, so huge birds are taking over the streets and fields.

My sympathies to you, Bob, for the loss of the duckling, Smokey & the partridges!

bpaquet wrote:Do you have wild turkeys by you, Bob? We have flocks and flocks of them right now. The kids are almost full grown, so huge birds are taking over the streets and fields.

Turkeys aren't native to England and are usually only found in turkey farms os as with us as pets in small numbers so we don't have them running wild. Nice thought though.

As a former bird hunter, I can tell you from experience one of the hardest, if not impossible to do
is to find wounded birds. Still you try, one thing you have to remember that if the bird or whatever you are
hunting winds up on property that is posted no hunting, you have to have the owners permission to go and get it.
If you don't you are not only trespassing but you are poaching. In some parts of the U.S. poaching is a felony.

Perhaps, but at least you tried. Doesn't sound like Bob's "sportsmen" even bothered.

Very true. It's one thing to fail in your efforts. It's quite another to shoot and then turn your back. (grrr)

I think it's either a different organiser, or they have a new gamekeeper in charge.
In the past I have been asked, very politely, if it would be okay to come onto the property as a couple of birds were seen to drop here. Never a problem, if they found the bird and it was injured they delivered the coup de grace and all was well. In fact, up to three years ago, Helen used to be given a couple of pheasants and a couple of partridges (cleaned and ready to cook) by way of a thank you for letting them do that. She didn't like them so either I or her sister got them. Pheasant in a red wine reduction was delicious.