I have 16 bales of silage and, this year, I am not going to let the big birdies and their big beaks/talons get into them.  Last year, I spent my winter hovering around my silage bales armed with a cloth to dry the bales where they had been damaged with silage bale tape to mend the holes left by the birds standing on them.

I am trying  a new invention – recyling old tyres and fish net.  First, I put one tyre on the top of each bale.

After an advert on a local website asking if anyone had any spare fishing net, we collected a large old salmon net.

First we laid it out – we have visitors staying so I roped them in as well – they did offer!

As ever, one small family member got in the way.

Having laid the net flat next to the bales on the track to establish the net’s actual dimensions, we then started to roll it over and lift it on.

Perhaps not the lightest or most helpful of net.

Daisy, being small and agile, was tasked to gently stand on the top, lifting the net over the bales and the tyres.

The net was enormous and spread well.

I am very happy with this set-up. I hope it works.  There is also enough net at the base to deter the hill sheep from the bales.

Once finished, we let BeAnne out from her “helping”.

Afterwards we went for a ride, knowing full well that the horses should be introduced to the new scary monster.  Taktur was fine.

Haakon’s eyes were out on stalks!

 

By tomorrow, they will all be used to it.

Success!

So bring it on Birdies!