Monthly Archives: April 2014

Ewe with lamb

Posted on April 26, 2014 by James Hall

Originally posted on Just add pictures:
Lambing continues steadily. It was a wet nasty day to day and so the doors to the lambing shed were closed. There was a low warm light which allowed me to capture this image. Just add pictures View original post

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Ethmia Pyrausta

Posted on April 26, 2014 by James Hall

  For those of you not familiar with Ethmia Pyrausta it is a moth. But it is not just any moth. Nigel Richards found two specimens at Croick yesterday and they were the sixth ever recorded finding of this particular … Continue reading →

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Another new calf

Posted on April 26, 2014 by James Hall

We had another new calf this week, here photographed at about twelve hours old. He was already up and walking (a little unsteadily) and feeing from his mother. As you can see he had just been tagged; easiest done before … Continue reading →

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Lambing

Posted on April 24, 2014 by James Hall

I have been so busy talking about the calving and the pigs that I have hardly mentioned that we are also in the midst of the lambing. Under Sarah’s leadership, as she takes a few days away from her ‘desk … Continue reading →

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Saddlebacks

Posted on April 21, 2014 by James Hall

What do you do when you are in the middle of both lambing and calving? It’s obvious really. You add a few piglets to the mix. Yesterday we drove up to croft by Rogart and picked up four weaners to … Continue reading →

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A blackcock lekking, and a curlew

Posted on April 20, 2014 by James Hall

The weather continues to be fantastic. There was a clear sky overnight which brought a sharp frost and it was crisp and clear when we were out this morning. On the way back from the cattle we stopped to watch … Continue reading →

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Wheatear travels

Posted on April 19, 2014 by James Hall

Nigel Richards is a regular visitor to Croick and a wonderful cataloguer of our bird and insect life, much on behalf of the British Trust for Ornithology. He spent yesterday on the estate and one of the birds he recorded … Continue reading →

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The calving jack

Posted on April 19, 2014 by James Hall

This is the first time I have been directly involved with calving cattle. It is not without drama, and probably not for the faint-hearted. The theory is that our cattle are robust, outdoor cattle and good calvers. Left to themselves … Continue reading →

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Early mornings

Posted on April 19, 2014 by James Hall

One of the ‘joys’ of the early morning start during calving and lambing is the chance to see the strath as it is waking up each morning. Our black game numbers are continuing to improve and scarcely a morning goes … Continue reading →

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Oystercatcher

Posted on April 17, 2014 by James Hall

One of the joys of this time of year is the arrival of Oystercatchers, Lapwings and Curlews for the breeding season. I caught this Oystercatcher today standing on one leg with its beak tucked under the wing. There was a … Continue reading →

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