I turned around and found this looking at me.  So, while laughing, I took a photo!

To be fair, it is just a very bad angle and Monster is not really that obese, so he tells me.  He just has big bones.

There was audience participation at lunch-time.  I do not encourage this sort of behaviour but we had finished eating so I let it go, just this once.

BeAnne, of course, would never do this – mostly because she can’t jump up anymore, not because she shouldn’t.

Monster remained unrepentant.  He honestly doesn’t care what I think. If it were OH, then of course that would be a completely different matter.

BeAnne then asked to go outside so I left the backdoor open for her.  Monster was feeling mean and decided to stalk her.  At first, he pretended to be looking for an invisible mouse but I knew what he was planning and we had words.

Monster by name……. and all that.

It’s that time of the year – when rams will be rams and the hill rams have started hanging around outside our gate and perimeter fence looking hopeful.

These days the words “absolutely no’ and “over my dead body” are frequently said.

Obviously the Boyzens are not interested.

But, sadly, two Girlzens are a bit too interested, if you ask me.

And also sadly, the Boyzens are utterly useless at defending their GIrlzen’s honour!

So, I made a decision and constructed a very efficient and zappy electric fence at nose sniffing and, hopefully any other part of active anatomy, height!

It is very effective.  I also have a spare fully-charged 12v battery on stand-by.  Zap!!!

I may possibly not be the most popular person in this flock but I do not want my Girlzens to get knocked up. Little lambs are not on our agenda.

So far, the fence is working it’s magic and the hill rams are now staying well away so the Girlzens have no interest either and just mooch off down the hill, far away from the Evil Outside World to join the hopeless boys.

Thems are the rules in this house. No little lambs, please.

Since I found out that there were long tailed ducks at our local beach, I have wanted to see them for myself.

So, yesterday, armed with my camera, after checking the girls, I went to look for long tailed ducks or Clangula hyemalis as they are known to their posh friends.

Please excuse the quality of the photos – they were a way off in the distance.

Long tailed ducks are a total delight. I was entranced and have now given them the honour of being on my Top Ten bird list.

They also quack when they’re flying which was very good value.  A proper duck. None of this silent Muscovy judgement!

The light was going fast but I was pleased I had seen the ducks and I also had the beach to myself too, which is always good.  I get very territorial about “sharing” an empty beach.

Feeling very pleased with my photographic achievement, I drove home with the car window open in case I could see a rather pudgy winter-coated Mountain hare in the scattald (hill).  Like Monster, they rather stick out this time of year.

This is where the hare sits most afternoons.    I think it is the front door to his “nest”. Apparently they don’t burrow.

A rare glimpse of Fair Isle on the way back (about 45 miles away).  It was very clear and we don’t see the island very often.

Happy little sheeple faces greeted me when I got home (Madge is behind, biding her time before her biscuit begging!)

Daisy asked me to help her move her horses over to their favourite field.

So I grabbed my camera, opened the relevant gates, walked down the hill to a good spot and waited.

Efstur and Dreki were the first to arrive.

They quickly ran down the hill – Dreki, the flying dragon!

Efstur had a lovely little bunchy-bottom canter.

Taktur was escorted by Daisy because he is a known idiot with form who is easily distracted by poo piles and then goes the wrong way which can result in panicking, running up and down the fence, threatening to go through it (he doesn’t jump).

Kappi kindly waited for his idiot of a friend.

They then galloped down the hill.

At full speed!

There was muchos prancing about the place.

Taktur spent a brief moment surveying his new-to-him-in-a-while Kingdom.

The others continued to prance about.

The stallion moment didn’t last long and Taktur quickly galloped off.

Back up the hill.

They all wanted to meet up over the fence.

Dreki was soon bored and mooched off again.

Quickly followed by Efstur.

Iacs and Klængur looked on like Statler and Waldorf.

And Haakon remembered why he hated them all – you can almost hear him saying “good riddance”.  Taktur bullied him horribly which is why they are always split up.

More prancing and exploring and Taktur forgot how to jump the stream so he stood looking a bit Billy No Mates!

So that’s some horses moved.

Another lovely ride on Iacs this morning with Daisy on Efstur.

Then out on Klængur (who appeared to be on a cocktail of hallucinatory drugs combined with adrenaline – I got off and walked home humming “Brave Sir Robin” to myself) with Daisy onTaktur.   Taktur remained his usual calm self while Klængur’s brain spontaneously combusted. Daisy and I have no idea what was going on.

After a quick lunch, and it was quite late for me, I went to check on the girls, Hetja and Brá (the Minions had been done earlier) who live in a good hill-park a few miles away.

I even climbed a bit of the hill, to give Brá her carrot.  There was a good view of Sandness looking over to Papa Stour with Eshaness in the distance.

Both ladies are very well and very happy.  This is a perfect field for them.

I had been told of some long-tailed ducks who had taken up residence nearby so I drove down to the beach, hoping to see them.

No luck, but I saw a Great Northern Diver from a great distance.

A guillemot in it’s winter plumage

and a shag a bit closer.

(and yes, I had to ask an expert to identify the birds for me! – I hadn’t a clue.)

I will return to look for the long-tailed ducks another day.  I quite like the idea of them and they  are rather smart from other folk’s photos.

Long Tailed Ducks © Richard Riley

And as for Klængur, the weather is turning now after some beautiful calm days, so he can have a rest and think about things. Maybe he will calm down.  Let’s hope so. He was very “high”.