OUR SMALL HERD

Our original four boys came from Ardo Alpacas in Aberdeenshire. We are not alpaca breeders and have our boys purely as pets. Our experience is that you don't need to be a breeder and that a 'batchelor herd' can give much pleasure to the owner. We have 5 acres including our big garden and grazing for the boys, 15 miles north of Inverness, Scotland. I spin, knit, felt and crochet with the fleece from the boys.

Clicking!!

Just a reminder that clicking on (most) of the photos will show them greatly enlarged.

Sunday 23 September 2012

Wassup?!

It's a typical group reaction by alpacas when they see something interesting or something which could be a threat.  One animal spots it and within seconds the others are looking in the same direction.  Up go their ears, and sometimes their tails as they 'lock on' to the potential threat.  We have no experience of female alpacas to know if they have the same reaction, but it is certainly true of our boys.
Hidden in the middle of the group is Wee Eck, smaller than the other boys and just behind Rufus, but just as interested in what is going on on the other side of the fence.
The view as seen by Rufus!  The item of interest being watched by the boys is a flock of sheep being rounded up by our neighbouring crofter and his dogs.  As if a flock of sheep isn't interesting enough, dogs running around accompanied by shouting and whistling from the humans certainly are!  In the distance, between Rufus's ears is the flock of sheep!
Even Fergus is wondering what is going on in the neighbouring field.  He is one laid back alpaca, preferring to chew the cud and let others deal with problems and seen here with Fidget behind him.
The daily 'poop-patrol' has arrived and Gully (left) and Fyta decide to check out the contents of the barrow.  No surprises in there then!  Faro is in the background. This, and the foregoing photos were taken yesterday morning which was crisp and frosty following a pretty cold night.  Ice appeared on the water troughs and earlier in the week we had the first dusting of snow on the hills - and it's still only September! 
Earlier in the week we had a great visit from two old friends, Albert and Tia who had their first alpaca 'experience' on a trip to the frozen north from the balmy climate of Edinburgh!  The boys were in good form and here Faro the guard gives them the once over and declares them to be of the friendly human variety!
So now more boys come to have a look at the visitors.  Faro at the front, Gaucho behind with Fergus behind Tia  - hoping that visitors might mean food!  Gully is looking through the fence on the left.
And finally.............the view from the new house site, across the top paddocks to Ben Wyvis in the distance.  The boys can be seen in the middle of the picture -  with a bit of magnification!

7 comments:

  1. Lovely photos Shirley, what a grand spot.

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  2. Females are just as inquisitive Shirley, but it is interesting when they have cria, those without cria are sent forward first to check out any threat, and the cria are kept safely in the middle of the group, until it is deemed safe.

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  3. Yes, our girls are just as inquisitive although we do have a couple who seem to be the most attentive of guards whether or not they have crias. Interestingly, they are the lower ranking girls so maybe that's the price they pay!

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  4. I can second that....the alpacas miss nothing ! Lovely photos of the new house view and the boys in the paddocks ....Jayne

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  5. That looks like a view you won't be able to ignore, on several levels!

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  6. What magnificent views, the countryside and your lovely boys! I love how inquisitive Alpacas are, and how Faro checks out the visitors. :) Lisa

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