Where The Wild Things Are...

Today there was a light rain although not enough for me to leave behind the camera. Again, Jack and Col still elude me but the larger herd was in the same spot where I found them last week. All seem fit and well except the fly bites which, I can say from experience, are pretty nasty!

Fflach and Mist

Taff

Ellie

Shy

Fflach

 Fflach seems to be a little larger around the waist compared with the first shot I took of her in my first blog; although all the male ponies on Bickerton have now been gelded it is possible she could have mated beforehand. On the other hand, all of the ponies have put on weight since being moved to Bickerton as there is a richer variety of flora but the weight gain is more noticeable in Fflach so there is a chance...something for me to watch as the weeks go by!

Shy and Sam

 Shy still lets Sam feed although she is slowly pushing him away, he's still got a bit of growing to do yet as he is still quite lanky compared to the other males. He likes to stay close to Shy and is also seen with Taff now and again; Sam, like Shy, is one of the more timid ponies at Bickerton but he is very curious about new things like the shutter on my camera!

Shy and Sam

 Today I was approached by the ponies. You can often get pretty close, usually within 5m, but it is quite rare for them to come up to you. So when Taff came up to sniff my hand it was pretty special, the other ponies followed suit and came in close but did not invite me to stroke them. Taff then started LICKING my hand! (as seen in the picture) I'm not sure why, considering there was no food involved, but he stayed there for a full five minutes before he lost interest and went back to grazing.

I think I've been accepted as one of the herd!

 I also took a few more photos of the cows, who also graze on Bickerton, and the wildlife which is often seen within the area. However, some things are just too nimble or secretive to get a good shot although they still provide you with worthwhile experiences and enjoyment. While wandering through the bracken in my search for adders, I almost trod on a rabbit which decided to spring into action and bolt through the gorse without a sound...I think I jumped almost as high as he did, it's lucky cameras include a neck strap! Anyway, I soon gave up looking for adders when I reached the clearing where buzzards are often seen flying low; there were none today but my attention was caught by a couple of magpie who were sounding their alarm calls and mobbing something with gusto. A quite large moth-eaten fox limped across the field and hid in the gorse cutting the magpies fun short, I missed him with the camera only by a whisker but hopefully I'll see him again and hopefully get a much closer view.

Lacewing

Gorse flower

Meadow Brown Butterfly

On my way back home from Bickerton I visited Barnston Monument and decided to stop and get some photos of this amazing bit of masonry!

 The monument reads:

"ERECTED IN MEMORY OF

ROGER BARNSTON ESQre

OF CREWE HILL, MAJOR AND BRAVET LIEUT COLONEL

OF HER MAJESTY'S 90th LIGHT INFANTRY, C.B.

AND KNIGHT OF THE LEGION OF HONOUR AND OF THE ORDER OF THE MEDJIDIE:

BY HIS TENANTS AND FRIENDS.

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HE SERVED IN THE CRIMEAN WAR FROM THE 5th DECEMBER 1854:

AND WAS PRESENT AT THE SIEGE AND FALL OF SEBASTOPOL:

AND ALSO IN THE INDIAN MUTINY CAMPAIGN IN 1857:

IN WHICH HE RECIEVED A SEVERE WOUND WHILST GALLANTLY LEADING AN ASSULT:

AT THE RELIEF OF LUCKNOW ON THE 16th NOVEMBER 1857:

FROM THE EFFECTS OF WHICH HE DIED AT CAWNPORE ON THE 23RD DECEMBER 1857:

AGED 31 YEARS:

AND WAS INTERRED IN THE MILITARY CEMETERY AT THAT STATION."

May be more photographs tomorrow!