Penned again

We decided to pen the boys this week so that we could cut Fergus's twisted nails.  They weren't too keen to be herded into the pen at first for some reason as most times they go in quite easily.  Fidget is not into 'touchy-feely' handling methods except when he is penned and gets a neck rub - he loves that!  Here he is enjoying the moment, with Fergus then Fyta behind.

We wanted to give Faro a vitaminand mineral drench too whilst they were penned and he accepted that with no problems.  He is eating grass and hay okay but he has gone completely off his supplement at present.  Behind him in this photo is Fergus who has been arguing with the others - thus the open mouth tinged with the green stuff!

Fyta is a laid back Alpaca who does not often argue or get worked up about anything - except other alpacas' food!  The same can't be said of Fergus whose green tinged, open mouth can also be seen.

A quickly-taken shot of a Red Kite flying overhead - you may need to magnify to see the distinctive forked tail.  Our most common bird of prey locally is the Buzzard with occasional visits by a Sparrow Hawk and Kestrel but this Kite visits most days.  Hooded Crows are with us all the time and they do a pretty good job of prey hunting by chasing, harassing and killing small rabbits.

And finally............early in the week was shorts and T shirt weather, Friday got cold, Saturday was bitter and look what happened this afternoon!  If the boys are confused with this weather I'm not sure what the birds and plants must be thinking.  Take care. 

Camera's on the blink!

Wouldn't you just believe it - a perfect day for photos, the boys were ready to pose, then the camera started to play up!   Thought we'd get some shots with snow on the hills behind the boys who look very much at home in this environment.    Unfortunately all the shots taken, especially with the lens, ended up blurred.  This is Fyta.

Next up is Faro and such a pity that the photo is blurred, it would have been a lovely photo of him.    He's never very happy to pose for close up shots but he can suffer the photographer being at a distance!

No mistaking big Fidget, enjoying the lovely weather and the fact that Robbie was wearing his shorts for the first time this season.  Is that a laugh or a grimace on his face as he sees the boss's white leggies?!  

And finally............before the camera gave up completely, the boys have been waiting patiently all week to get onto new grass and today they got their reward when we moved them to the bottom paddocks.  Have a good week.

Improved weather

This has been a mostly sunny week although a sharp wind has been blowing, but they are conditions which the boys  like.  This is Fidget keeping an eye on something which has taken his attention.

Fergus (left) and Faro enjoying the good weather.  We even deployed a water tray this week so that Fergus and Fyta especially could dunk themselves!  The last two days however have seen fresh dustings of snow on the hills.

Faro appears to be having the same digestive problems this Spring which he had last year.   During the past winter he has been passing solid but large 'beans' but over the past couple of weeks he has started to be 'loose' again.  We wonder if this is  a 'Spring grass' problem and will keep an eye on him although he is eating grass, hay and supplements as usual.

Fidget (left), Faro and Fyta enjoying the sun in the rough paddock.

We had a very nice visit today from Julie and Rob who are interested in becoming alpaca owners in due course.  Carrots were on offer for the boys and Fergus is trying to decide here whether Julie's offering might be tastier than Rob's.  In the event he ate neither and just walked off - as alpacas do!  Hope you enjoyed the alpaca experience folks - pity about the bitterly cold wind during your visit.

And finally............... the sunshine brought out the flowers on the 'Flowering Currant' bushes this week.

It's sprung!

How come the beginning of the week is always snowy?  It happened again this week with a dusting, just to remind us not to pack away thick jumpers, hats and jackets just yet!  From the left, Fergus, Fidget, Fyta and Faro get stuck into their haylage and this was followed a couple of hours later by a bowl of beet.

A long range shot of the boys in their shelter enjoying the early morning sunshine which they hope will melt the snow and let them at the grass.

Thankfully at this time of year the snow doesn't last too long.  Faro (left), Fidget (behind) and Fyta enjoying the sun.

The two heavyweight white boys, Fergus(left) and Fidget bulk up with hay just in case the weather changes for the worse, yet again!

Now for a visit to the rough paddock.  Faro first as always at the gate with Fergus, Fyta and Fidget behind.

And finally................a very happy Easter to all blog readers.

Rough paddock

We've let the boys up into the 'rough' paddock this week - we call it this because the ground is covered in boulders and the grass is a bit rough.  It's also on a slope and the entrance way is muddy but the boys seem to enjoy the change.  They come out of it overnight but first thing in the mornings they queue up at the gate to get through.  This shot shows Faro at the gate, head and tail up, ready to rock!  Fidget, Fyta and Fergus amble along to join him. 

Plenty of rain around this week and Fyta looks slightly damp.

Fyta strolls into Fidget's personal space and gets the usual visual and audible warnings from him.  Fyta turns away slightly, expecting something nasty to come flying through the air from a spitting Fidget!  Fergus in front is unconcerned - he's seen it all before!

Faro is first into the paddock and runs up the slope looking for his three chums who are still strolling behind him.

There they are at the bottom of the slope, more interested in grazing than following Faro.

Later in the day they had some carrots which they really enjoy.

And finally...........an early morning photo of the Flowering Cherry tree just beginning to get it's colourful flowers on display.  We've had gales, sleet and rain this week and with snow still on the hills, the temperature remains low.

Spring's a-coming!

The weather has been reasonably kind to us this week, a feeling that Spring is picking up momentum but every now and again a really cold wind blows warning us to be patient.  This is Fidget enjoying the sun.

Now that the herd is down to 4 boys from 8 previously, things are a little more laid back, especially at feed time when there used to be 'bowl chasing' every day.  It's hard to say if these boys 'miss' the other 4, they certainly seem quieter. From the left, Fidget, Fergus, Fyta and Faro have not heard the photographer approaching from over a rise in the ground.  

Spotted!  Faro takes up his usual alert, guarding stance whilst the other three...........well,  they don't seem to be bothered about the human!

Yesterday was a lovely, warm day and Fyta and Fergus  were dunking their feet in the water trough so we got one of the  water tray out.  Fyta gets in immediately with a look that says, "Water now please Dad!"

"Thats the business - thanks."

And finally............"Can a chap please get some privacy at bath time ?"

Down-sizing!

At the beginning of the week Faro and the rest of the boys were very interested in why the humans were moving lots of hurdles.  The reason was that we had decided to down-size the herd from 8 boys to 4 boys leaving our original 4 with us - Faro, Fergus, Fyta and fidget.  The other 4 boys, Gully, Gaucho, Wee Eck and Rufus were moving to a new home up in Portmahomack in Easter Ross.  Unfortunately Monday and Monday night especially were to see storm force gales again so we made the decision over the weekend not to move them until better conditions on Tuesday.

So here are the 'removal boys' at their new home on an 8 acre croft run by their new mum and dad, Alison and Brendan.  Regular readers of this blog may recall that Alison and Brendan have visited us several times having moved up from England and wanting to fulfil a long standing dream to have some land and own alpacas.  Who better to be dream-makers than these four boys?

Rufus (left), Gaucho, Wee Eck and Gully have a wander around the perimeter fences and sample the plentiful supply of grass.

'Big Sky' country in these parts as the boys take in the size of the paddocks and their new field shelter.

We left the boys to explore their new home and here they are looking out at Balloan Castle and the Dornoch Firth in the distance.  They seemed to settle down quickly with their new grass and so whilst we will miss them after these years we know that they will have a great time on the croft.

Back home, our boys were on fresh grass too so didn't seem to miss the others too much.  Here are Fidget (left), Fergus, Faro and Fyta.

And finally.................a long range shot of the 4 boys in their paddock.  On the far hill you may see the smoke of the 'muir burning' where old heather is burned off in strips to allow new growth for game birds.  You might have to magnify most of these photos to get better detail.  So now that we have a changed herd we'd better spend some time on changing this blog layout!  Have a good week.