Tag: Mount

Red kite hunting

While out on the walk this afternoon on the mount, I saw a red kite hovering ahead of me. I see them around often, and they usually fly away. Not today. This one was still there when I got to it, flying about 10m above me

I stood under it enjoying watching it stay in the spot in moderately heavy wind. It reminded me of kayaking in strong water, or balancing on a wobble board. The tail feathers were tightly clenched, but it’d occasionally unfurl them for a moment of additional stability. The wings were spread out, the (equivalent of) wing flaps doing most of the work of keeping it in place. Occasionally, it’d slightly fold or raise a wing to handle a particular gust. Like a kayaker tapping the water, or me spreading arms briefly on the wobble board to stabilise. It’d flap the wings once in a while, to maintain height and position. Like a kayaker occasionally paddling to hold position.

It was focused on a movement in the bushes in front of it (and of me). But still, it took a glance at me and generally behind it every so often. I loved how it could be doing all those little things to hover on the spot so effortlessly, and yet be comfortable enough to turn it’s head (and just the head) around to stay aware. Again, kind of how good kayakers can twist their heads and upper bodies to scan around while still continuing to keep the boat stable using their core, legs, arms, and experience.

After about 5 minutes, the kite suddenly half folded its wings in the stuka wing shape, and dived. It landed about 5m ahead of me in the bushes with a clear thump (audible in the moderately heavy wind). A moment later, it rose and flew away with (what looked like) a field mouse in its mouth.

I took a long breath, smiled, and walked on. Lucky day 🙂

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Friday, the 13th – fornicating cows!

Nothing too special about this Friday the 13th. Slightly less productive than usual, and an encounter with fornicating cows.

Yup, that was the highlight of the day – an encounter with the fornicating cows.

I mentioned earlier that the cows are back on the mount. We’ve been passing them often on our walks, and they’re usually the meek creatures they’re made up to be.

Today, as we entered the last section of the mount, some of the cows moved towards us instead of moving away. Their manner of movement, too, was more aggressive than curious. Out of concern for my safety, and Chewie’s sanity, I backed off, and went back out the gate.

Just as we crossed back, one of the cows mounted another and started humping her. The reason for their aggression was well visible!

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The cows are back

Cows

Cows on the mount are back. A different herd this year, and fewer too – 6-7 against 18 last year.

Don’t mind the cows themselves, but their presence means that there’ll be cowdung mounds all over the place soon, and that we (Chewie & Me) won’t be able to play at our favourite much longer.

On the other hand, we’ve recently discovered a load of beautiful routes around our area, and this might just be incentive to insert more variety into our daily walks.

Pilates

Didn’t think that I’d get to chat and be friend(ly) with more people in a 4-7 person pilates class, than in a 300+ park run that I’ve volunteered at 7 times in last few months. But it is so. Funny world :)

We rescued a cow

Yesterday, Chewie and I rescued a cow.

While walking on the mount, we noticed the cows were congregated around one of the bottom gates, and there were a couple of ladies on the other side of the gates. Initial suspicion was that the ladies wanted to get on the mount, but the cows were blocking them. Soon, it became clear – as the walkers had exited the mount, one of the greedy cows had followed them through the first trap gate to get to the vegetation in the middle. As the gate closed behind her, the cow got trapped between the twin gates – meadow on one side, the heavy traffic of A31 on the other.

On realising its predicament, the cow started getting agitated – not letting the walkers back in to release the inner gate. Other cows too congregated around the gate out of concern.

Once the situation was clear, I put Chewie on lead, and we calmly walked down to the gate. As the other cows saw us approach, they quietly dispersed, leaving the gate access free. I stood on far side of the gate, Chewie calmly stood next to me, and opened the gate. The trapped cow, quickly scampered through – to the meadow, to other cows, to freedom!

The ladies thanked us, the cows gave us a grateful smile (I’d like to believe), and we walked back up the mount. Halfway up, I released Chewie off lead. He found the ball that he’d dropped earlier, and we merrily carried on home, happy1,2.

  1. I was happy at having helped a cow, but more so at Chewie’s composure – he stayed calm all through, acting mature, never showing any concern towards or against the herd of cows, let alone bark or growl.
    Chewie was happy because he had the ball, and we were headed home to his food – the two loves of his life :) ↩
  2. The scenario as it’d have happened if Raghs were with us: I put Chewie on lead, to go rescue the cows. She starts protesting, getting concerned at how he’ll behave, and how the cows will react to us. Chewie senses the anxiety in her body language and tone, and starts getting anxious himself. His anxiety passes on to the cows – through body language or barking. Unsure if we’re friendly or not, we get charged by a dozen, heavy cows. My remains may right now be splattered, mixed with cow dung, on the mount. ↩