Gliding Over

Decanting my yogurt and fruit into a bowl for lunch in the kitchen, I looked out over the field. Issuing an excited yelp making Hubs jump a mile, 'Crickey that's a red kite!!' and then panicked cries of, ' Oh no where's the camera?' followed by mutterings of frustration as my kit was all over the shop with preparations to go out in the offing. 

Charging outside I saw him in the distance and thought it was all over but then saw it circling with ravens mobbing it calling alarmingly, not liking this one bit. Watching him disappear over the fields I waited checking out the skies, turned round to go back inside and saw it popping over the hedge behind me! Eat your hearts out you guys at Gigrin Farm! 

This is a first over our house. Never ever before has a red kite come as far as here and to say I was thrilled was an understatement. Camera settings went to pot slightly, glasses steamed up and I just hoped it would hang around a bit longer but it didn't. The crows started the chase, the magpies were squawking and the tinies on the feeder were more than dischuffed at my antics as they couldn't eat with me there bouncing around wafting my lens! 

Unfortunately he flew off all too soon - birds in hot pursuit mobbing him all the way, calling alarmingly. 

Hubs is still having his on-going mid-life chicken crisis. We've been shopping this afternoon and got 12 more on point of lay, choosing the prettiest feathered ones and best egg layers. A HUGE new coop arrived last week - so big I thought he was moving out to live there! Maybe he is? 

Tonight's job is to spray them with vinegar and mix two sets of newbies together in the dark so in the morning they will all smell the same to avoid the bullying and fighting. Fingers crossed. We took one freebie chicken who had lost an eye and needed to be with her friend as they had been raised together. Hopefully they will look after each other nicely. None of them has seen grass before and loved it. 

All go here .........