Visitors and feeding

This has been Verm-X week for the boys with the granules mixed in with their feed.  Gully who is lying down has already tipped the contents of the bowl onto the ground - he often does this when the granules are in his feed.  Behind him is Fyta who is intent on pinching whats left in the bowl!  This is Fyta's speciality - lifting the bowl away from the feeding 'paca and carrying it off!  Fyta knows that Gully guards his food closely though so has to wait his chance and you can almost see him weighing up his chances of success here.

Faro - always a 'picky' eater since he was a cria and over the last few weeks we've been keeping a close eye on him because he stopped eating his daily supplement.  He grazes as normal and eats hay as normal but for some reason decided that he didn't want supplement.  We've tried him with a range of feeds, Charnwood, Badminton, Camelibra, Fibregest but he walked away from them all. He sometimes does this when he gets new grass but comes back to the supplement after a few days.  We drenched him for worms just in case and some time later gave him a vitamin drench.  I'm pleased to say that he's started taking the supplement again over the past couple of days but still not in the quantity that he used to.

We had a welcome visit from Brendan and Alison this week, on holiday in the Highlands from Lancashire.  They had contacted us months ago saying that they were coming north, were interested in keeping alpacas eventually and wanting to visit.  So it was a pleasure to meet them and to arrange a little sunshine for their visit!

As always, once the treats have been dispensed the 'pacas get bored with humans and wander off.  Brendan and Alison weren't the only visitors we had this week as old friends Alan and Kath stayed overnight with us after a long trip over from Ardnamurchan on the west coast.  Unfortunately (and inexplicably) all 3 photos which we took of their visit to the boys were all blurred when produced - couldn't possibly have been the wine............  We'll have better luck on your next visit folks!

 

This photo was taken from the veg garden near the Keder polytunnel looking through at the boys on the other side of the fence.  They seem to know that there is nothing to eat in  the garden at this time of year but when the swedes are ready later in the year, they will line up along the fence in expectation of getting some.

The inside of the Keder with 1st early tatties nearest on the left and 2nd earlies at the back on the left.  Nearest on the right are dwarf beans, then carrots and a few cauliflowers at the end.  All the other cauliflowers are planted in the outside veg plots which is where they really should be.  The two vines are also growing on well again.

And finally............... a Peony bush with the flowers just beginning to open.  This one is tucked in behind the hedge and is over 8 feet tall.

Spring in the air.

It's always the same when something is happening in the paddocks - I never have the camera with me!  I did have my iphone though and was able to take a couple of distance shots as the boys pronked their way around the paddocks one evening.  I think Fyta started it (as he does!) by running around, standing in the water tray then running around again.  This got Gully going and as you can see, he does rather a nice pronk, springing in the air!  Faro is on the right of the picture determined not to join in!

Gully and Wee Eck running around - and still Faro refuses to join in.  This was one of those warm, damp evenings after a day of rain when the midgies begin to bite so that may have got them going.

Most of this week has been wet with some occasional sunshine.  Fergus (left), Fyta and Wee Eck looking suitably damp.

"Things to do, places to go" as a soggy Gaucho marches across the paddock.

Gully (front) and Fidget.  Gully takes up this stance when he is curious about something he has seen or heard.  He lefts his head, puts his nose in the air and sniffs continuously and will often not move for many minutes.

And finally..............the Swallows started to arrive at Easter and are now here in considerable numbers together with House Martins, and these clumps of Bluebells are appearing.  It's a lovely time of year - as long as it stops raining!

Still chilly.

After boasting in last week's blog that we'd had very little frost this winter, Tuesday night this week was really frosty for this time of year and several of the bushes in flower, Magnolia and Camellia in particular, turned from white and pink respectively to dark brown!  We just have to hope that the apple buds have survived the frost - they look OK - otherwise we will have a poor harvest again.  This photo was taken at 7.00am on Wed, frost was on the grass, ice was in the water troughs and Ben Wyvis in the distance had a new dusting of snow.  Faro and Gully are up and about but Fergus is still lying down in the shelter.

About an hour later the boys have moved to an adjoining paddock but prefer to take it easy at this time of day.  Note that Fidget is lying on his own again, at the bottom of the paddock and looking for bunnies, and the ice from the water trough still hasn't melted. 

This photo of Rufus was taken yesterday.  Always quite nervous here he is listening to dogs barking in the distance.

Faro - not a lover of the camera, keeping a close eye on the photographer!

Fyta getting his chin stroked as he and Wee Eck help themselves to hay.  Fyta, like most of the boys, generally doesn't like being touched but does like a 'chin tickle' now and again!

This is a Clematis at the entrance to the vegetable garden, and it's in full flower at present.  The frost didn't seem to have affected it at all.

And finally..........long term blog readers may recall that about three years ago we had a visit from Gill and Ian who live on the Isle of Coll and who were very keen to own alpacas.  There was just one snag and that was that they had to build  their own house first before they could give a home to 'pacas.  Since then, they got planning permission, built their own home and moved in late last year.  Very recently they have just transported Duncan, Dixie and Bruno to the island causing considerable interest and amusement at the ferry terminal and starting what we think will be a flood of visitors to see the 'pacas at their home.  This photo of Duncan at his new home on the island says it all - beautiful.  Well done on realising your dream Gill and Ian - we think there will be a few jealous bloggers out there!

Another week, another blog!

Not too much happening here this week.  The weather generally has been uninspiring, lots of mist and sometimes cold winds.  The sun has shone occasionally so the boys have been wet, dry, wet, dry etc.  Gaucho is looking less than enthusiastic first thing on a damp morning!

Just before this photo was taken a rabbit ran in front of Faro (left) and away into some long grass,  but Faro and Rufus continued to look for it.  Fidget, Fergus and Fyta are lying down, completely disinterested! 

Trying to get the boys to pose for a group photo can be a bit of a struggle.  Faro (right) and Rufus are paying attention but Wee Eck and Gully can't be bothered!  The (almost) new house is behind on the hill.

A little later and Gully (right) and Rufus decide to stand still long enough to have their fringes snapped.  Might need to get the scissors out shortly I think!

"Psst Fergus - lets ask the photographer if we can borrow the camera and do a selfie!"

Down in the chicken compound Hunkey Dunkey is looking good, chasing his hens and 'cock-a-doodling' as if there was no tomorrow!  The boys often stand watching him through the chicken wire as he throws his head back and sounds off about his territorial rights!

And finally............as a result of the mild winter we've just had with no deep frosts, many bushes are showing lovely colours.  These are a few of the Azalea currently in bloom.  Have a nice week.

New grass and visitors.

Following on from the previous week when the boys were anxious to get to new grass, this was the scene first thing on Monday with Faro in front asking the question with his big eyes, "When are we getting on to fresh grass?"

The answer was, "Now!"  This then starts a charge which is a joy to watch when, led by Faro, Eck, Fyta and Gully, the herd takes off for the bottom paddocks. 

They are soon all heading in that direction - just look at Rufus on the extreme right cantering (if an alpaca can 'canter') down at the rear!

And they start nibbling the grass straight away before a rolling session in their favourite shelters!  Monday and Tuesday were clear, frosty days but on Wednesday and Thursday the temperature plummeted.

Regular blog readers may have noticed a comment a couple of weeks ago on this blog from the Huang family who wanted to come and visit.  On a very cold day Teng-Wei Huang, his girlfriend and Mum and Dad arrived and  spent a couple of very enjoyable hours with us.  They are from Taiwan where there are no alpacas, and having seen our blog, wanted to see the boys during their tour of the the Highlands.

The boys were delighted to see visitors as this usually means carrots!  Here are Fyta (left) and Fergus enjoying being hand fed. On the Wed evening before the family's visit, all of us in the Highlands, Western and Northern Isles endured a major power failure which left everywhere in darkness for a couple of hours.  After coping with that in a strange Bed & Breakfast the family then had to endure Arctic temperatures on Thursday - not the sort of welcome we like to give our tourists!  However we enjoyed their visit, so come back and see us again Teng-Wei when the weather is better!  Enjoy your holiday on the continent.

And finally...........as if on cue for Easter, - Friday, Saturday and today have been sunny and very warm!  This is the magnolia tree at Tigh Mhor with the bud 'candles' just beginning to open.  Have a very happy Easter everywhere.

Gate watchers!

Dog alert!  Faro (left) and Fyta are looking out for a dog which they can hear barking some distance away.  Alpacas it seems have excellent eyesight even over quite long distances.  There is no way of telling if they can make out the image of what they are seeing but they definitely can detect movement over distance and will watch it for some time.  For instance, our boys will watch a cat two fields away or a pheasant walking through long grass over the same distance.  Obviously part of their 'herd protection' abilities hard wired into their system over countless years.

This is a close up of the flowering currant bush in the hedge shown in the previous photo.  The bush looks  and smells lovely at this time of year and is attracting lots of bumble bees - but no honey bees yet.

We've mentioned in this blog previously the fact that the boys can sense when they are going to move to new grass.  Maybe it's simply because they are fed up with their present grass and can see and smell new grass nearby.  Here the boys are spending more and more time over the last few days waiting near the gate into an adjoining paddock where the grass is fresher.  We'll move them during the coming week as this week they are having their Verm-X granules with their feed and new grass will put them off the feed.

Waiting at the gate - just look at the expression on Fergus's face (nearest camera)! A happy bunny or what?  Rufus  and Fidget are also lying down with Wee Eck and Gaucho behind.

This is the view from the new house and you can see the boys in the middle distance sitting at the far end of the bare paddocks waiting to let rip on new grass.

I wonder if any of you alpaca owners have an animal which has a really favourite  place to lie?  The boys lie around all over the place, any time, but Fidget makes a deliberate effort to return to this place just inside the gate and behind the fence for a lie down and to chew the cud!  The others can be quite a distance from him or sometimes they come and lie on the gravel, but we've never seen any other boy lie in this exact spot - they wouldn't dare!

And finally............couldn't resist a selection of Daffs picked from the garden.  Aren't they lovely?  Have a good week.

Soggy blog!

It's been a bit of a 'driech' week with heavy rain and mist although thankfully by the end of the week it had cleared up a bit.  Wee Eck with his ears like radar scanners approaches out of the gloom to see what is going on.

The rest of the gang are equally unimpressed by the elements with Fergus and his wet knees in front.

Always camera shy, Faro gives the photographer the 'tail in the air' sign that he's alert.

 Fyta likes to show off his haughty look.  A damp looking Fidget is in the background.

Remember that it doesn't rain for ever, Gaucho!

Gully - he just loves having a roll when he is soaking wet.

And finally...........couldn't finish without a final Wee Eck photo of the dripping fringe!