Hello Friends,
A bit of a photo heavy post, as promised photos of our fabulous day at Cotswold Farm Park yesterday. For those who don't know and are in the UK and watch Countryfile on BBC, this rare breeds farm belongs to Adam Henson, their resident farmer and is part of his actual farm. We are lucky that it is only about an hours drive from our house. I remember going there as a child with my own parents, when his dad first opened it and it was very small with just a few examples of rare breeds. I've always been happiest around animals, so this is the ideal birthday for me!
Today the farm is an amazing place for whole families, especially now when there are so many new born animals...the little kiddies from a local school were having a wonderful time handling the newly hatched chicks and bottle feeding some orphaned lambs, as well as cuddling bunnies and guinea pigs. The lambing shed is the main activity this time of year, but in several years, we've never been there when one has actually been born. This was the first year we haven't seen Adam Henson either in the petting shed or lambing shed, but we did see him from a distance with a film crew, probably something for Countryfile.
Yesterday the weather was beautiful, most years it has been quite cold and even wet, so we've never before done the wildlife walk. There are two, an easy one and a 2 hour one over more hilly terrain. We decided to do that one. It takes you across the acres of farmland and for those few hours it was just us, some rabbits, hares, birds and sheep...so still and peaceful.
How we rescued a sheep!
Down in a valley, we came across a very distressed sheep: she had climbed up an incline to try and see what was in the water trough in the next field and got her head stuck in a wire fence. Of course animals, especially sheep, will simply panic and it was making it worse for her, so she had got very stressed and was in danger of choking. In reality there was plenty of room but she was fighting against it. We were an hour each way from anyone and we couldn't leave her. So we let ourselves into the next field to be at the front of her and I stroked her forehead whilst lifting the wire so she could back out and off she ran to the rest of her flock...what a lovely sight.
I know they go around checking them, but we couldn't have walked off and left her, no way.
So, here are some photos from our day....
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| It's official, all Oringtons are super friendly, these were in a pen, three hens and a cockerel..I poked my hand through and stroked this one's breast for ages and even the cockerel came for some love! Gosh I missed our Penny! |
Also not to leave our girls out and because at 4 years old and a 'year off', Cara started laying again last week, must say I was surprised. She is so beautiful right now...a really large bird with plummage of black, brown and green. Tilda is pictured on the outdoor garden perches Tom made for them a few years ago..
They seem to be on alert since my birthday and there have been fewer wild birds about, so it could be the Sparrowhawk is still hanging about. If you missed my 19th March birthday post and the photo I got of it, do have a look here
They seem to be on alert since my birthday and there have been fewer wild birds about, so it could be the Sparrowhawk is still hanging about. If you missed my 19th March birthday post and the photo I got of it, do have a look here
Finally, I should have shown this on my birthday, but here are the beautiful flowers Tom sent me..
That's all for today, I'll be back soon with craft, thank you for your comments yesterday and for my humming bird photo, I was really pleased with that..as you know they don't tend to stand still!
Love and Hugs and thanks for your visits,
Carole X
