Pheasant

I meant to say yesterday, and completely forgot ...

I was out on Sunday morning, hanging out the washing nice and early in the sunshine.  Marlo was sat beside me, supervising. The chickens were behind me, in their run, scratching and pottering. The garden birds were all fluttering about and generally enjoying the early spring.  All was peaceful and quiet. It was even too early for the lawn mowers, garden machines and light planes.

All of a sudden the peace was shattered by an amazingly loud squawking, from somewhere Over There.  Pigeons and doves all scattered. Blackbirds and sparrows shot under the prickly bush up by the pond. Marlo sat up abruptly, ears pricked. (The hens completely ignored it!)  What on earth was it?

I looked around and peered about and all the while the strange squawking continued. Eventually I stood up on my tiptoes and drew myself to the fullest hight I possibly can and looked over the side fence (remember I was right down at the bottom of the garden near the field). And there, Over There, sat on a distant neighbour's shed, was a cock pheasant, yelling loudly - I assume summoning a volunteer to be his wife.

We do not have many, or indeed (up till now) any pheasants around us, although The Builder did report seeing one on our back fence a few weeks ago. And I saw one in a field up near Grassmoor a couple of weeks ago. I assume it was the same one, looking forlornly for a mate. No idea what it's doing in Tupton, nor where it came from, nor indeed how it got here. But I don't think it's likely to find a mate hereabouts. I think it should move on.

Very striking bird. But VERY noisy!!!

(And to those people who I have told about the pheasant who have suggested I might like to catch it and pluck it and eat it - you really aren't supposed to dead the game birds in the early spring. They're out of season!!!)