Bambi's Back!+

[Jenny]

Remember that young stag that created havoc earlier this year? Well he's back and advertising for soul mates!

Hopefully the Tour of Mul car rally will deter him but we're not convinced - just glad my insurance company doesn't exclude damage to people, pets or property due to wild animals invading.

[Birdman]

Hello Jenny

I was just wondering if you can see bbc/autumbirdwatch on your tv, they have a camera crew on the island of rum(?) and they are filming the Rutting of the stags during the mating season..

Ok.. Just passing comment...best wishes and I hope your car insurance covers all contingincies...LOL

JJ

[Jenny]

Hi John

Sadly miss autumnwatch due to work and since having reluctantly got Sky (due to only two functional analogue tv channels and non-functioning freeview :mad: ), setting the recorder (even with expert's instructions) manages to completely upset the system.

The rut's only just beginning here - we're a wee bit further south and have more trees on sheltered higher ground than Rum though I can Rum from just up the road on good days! BTW Rum's midgies are MUCH worse than ours - my stay there six years ago was an unrelenting battle to retain some unbitten portion of my anatomy! But do go if you've not been - the place is just stunning!

The car insurance thing is dodgey, but buildings, people and domestic pets are covered by the other insurances. I checked!

Bambi was sighted last night, three properties up from mine. Message passed on as location is near start of Tour of Mull Rally and if he has got some ladyfriends in tow could be carnage on Friday/Saturday nights. (All domestic and farm animals are gathered in near the Rally roads but deer are another issue altogether!)

Seriously, if he becomes a real pest, he will have a short life unless we get some help to put up deer-fencing (cost is horrendous and we have to pay for planning permission!). The deer population on the island roughly exceeds that of humans at approaching 4 to 1 - we need some serious culling, but that doesn't go down well with our wildlife visitors who don't like killing - even if the carcases are taken up the hill to help the bird population.

Hey, sorry if this sounds harsh and is getting heavy - driving at night round here is truly scary!

[Birdman]

Hello Jenny
Shame about your viewing capabilities, and of the rutting, that's a real shame though, on reflection, I have a feeling that all of 'autumwatch' is released on videos later in the year..only a hunch..nothing more..On a more technical note for what it is worth, I have my tv aerial plugged into my video recorder and then out from video to my cable tv box, then again out to plug into my tv socket, mind you..all cables are 'scart' connections..I don't suppose that matters much to you though..

Wow!, you live close to RUM do you...wow, am surprised you don't pay the bbc crews a visit...lol..if only eh!..as for midges, it would appear that either midge cream is expensive or it's of little value...LOL...blame the deer, it's their fault, what with all their droppings...LOLOL

Somehow or other I have a feeling you can add a indivual clause into your car insurance to cover such incidents, ie: like as if it was a precious piece of jewelleryor of a 'licenced shotgun'..

Sounds like a way of life up there, more animals that humans...wow!, yes, that doews sound a little scary, and of course, they are oblivious to humans..may sound odd but can you not tranquilise it and convey it to another part of the island..(lay person talk)...LOL

Maybe some discreet culling during the time the visitors do not arrive since I assume you have what is called a visitors season..or time span..

Nothing harsh or heavy is read, your just saying what is to be said...all accepted..
John

[Jenny]

Hiya John - re Sky, getting the guy whom my son was supposed to be navigator for in Tour of Mull Rally (tomorrow/Sat) to come over when he can to try and sort it - he should know what he's doing as he set up the RSPB webcam for the White Tailed Sea Eagles at Loch Frisa :D !

Bless you, whilst I can see Rum, getting there (and back) in a day is a huge logistical exercise. You catch one ferry (35mins) drive for one and a half hours (it's worse by bus!!) to either Arisaig or Mallaig and get another ferry, which doesn't run every day to the same Small Isles (that's Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna)! It can be done at the height of the season but it only gives you a couple of hours ashore which just isn't enough! But would be good to see the BBC crew again - if it's the same team as last year at Frisa - that was good:) !

Bambi, bless him, seems to have taken off - suspect it's all these nasty rally cars charging around the last couple of nights. Let's hope he stays away because I actually don't want him to be terminated - he's strong and healthy (probably all the garden veg and plants he's been pigging over last winter!!:( BTW, we hardly have an "off-season" - the wildlife's here all year round and mates running tours are doing them up to Christmas with several bookings in the new year too! Winter migrants are spectacular up here so we get loads of serious birdwatchers over winter.

[Birdman]

Good Morning Jenny...Well I hope you can receive all the channels possible and I would have thought that 'sky' with their satellites floating in orbit, you should be able to get as many channels as you wanted..Still you have some technical assistance to hand so I hope all goes well for you..good for you and the webcams for the White Tailed Sea Eagles, are they a endangered spices? but seeing their nests and the hatching of the chicks must be so wonderful to view, we too can now buy small webcams so as to fit to our own nesting boxes.

Ah!...Rum and of it's camera crews I am not sure of who was there but our team this year was of Bill Oddie, Kate Hamble and of, Ohhhhhhhh...I'veforgotten his name, but he is the regular 3rd member of the team, (Simon King, I believe) and last night ( our time ) was the last showing of 'autumn watch'...but you can follow it up on > www.bbc.co.uk/autumnwatch (http://www.bbc.co.uk/autumnwatch) < .. Watching the changing faces of the most successful stags, and of how at the last moment, it seemed that every stag on the island converged on the large collection of hinds, and scatted the whole lot with each stag claiming a few of the hinds..LOLOL...talk about a 'free for all'...LOL..most amazing sight...But to make that journey as you discribe...wow!..some mammoth task by all accounts....

How does one recognize such animals..only by their horns I would guess, well, being well fed (thanks to your fruit and veg) helped him, Bambi, and made a welcomed relief from grass..LOLOL...oh I'm sure you will see him again....It's surprising how our love for wild animals makes us make journeys that for most of us cannot afford..
Best Wishes.

[Kerry L]

Hi Jenny

So HE's back again. I think your new job has mellowed you somewhat!:D I remember discussing his demise before (well, sort of, although kindness willed out in the end). Hope your big birds are well. Jenny, why can't you have some venison too - it sounds as though there is plenty for you, your neighbours and the birds?!
As he has been bellowing, does that mean he won the rut and did you hear the battles?
We have been quite busy here with new building work around the house - not all smooth and quite stressy. The Wonderful Madam Mim has added to that, resulting in a morning at A & E - she only pierced her eyebrow with one of my needlework pins :eek: (hair covered her folly and wasn't noticed until I felt her head for a temperature . . .! Arghhh!), luckily Tetanus shot had been given a couple of months ago, but some strong penicillin had to be administered for infection! No wonder she didn't feel well - she told the Doc that it had been there for a couple of days. I fail to understand her - she hates the sight of blood and squeals if there is a slight mark on her skin - how the heck did she do it! :confused: On the other hand, Number One Son is becoming human again, so stress levels reduced slightly - until he says he will walk to a friend's house in the dark, 9 miles in pitch black down country lanes where drivers can't take their feet off their accelerators!
Not much sign of wildlife here (apart from my temper) although we have a couple of new squirrels, one large male and a little one with a weedy tail. Some birds, but most seem to be hiding, except for the pigeons who now sit by the lounge window on the pyracantha looking in like Peeping Toms and pigging out on berries until I jump out at them (typical - Barbara Jane has cranes and I get those blooming things).
Managed to get neighbour's cat with the master blaster again, but it was back again yesterday. New French windows make it easy for me to open and sneak out undetected AHA!
Sad thing about soffits, fascias and guttering replacement - lots of old nests removed, most likely starlings. Now there are no holes for them to go in. I shall have to put starling nest boxes on my Christmas list.
Temperature here today reached 18 degrees! Beautiful autumn day.

Keep well and warm, regards, Kerry

[Jenny]

This is an urgent plea for advice!

I know a lot of people like deer but Bambi and his friends (other stags at this time of year) are becoming a dangerous nuisance here in our town and other villages. They are not moving back up to the high ground and with the great weather we've had the last few days - yes, Tshirts out (mind you Tshirts are out in 15 degrees up here:D ) - the younger children are out in the garden. It is a real scary thing that a 22/24 stone stag is charging through domestic gardens where kids were playing literally 5 minutes earlier. Try going to put your wheelie bin out early (ours need to be out by 7am) on bin day and meeting an huge animal in aggressive mood 6 feet from your back door and he advances on you!! I might add to those more financially minded (astute and/or impecunious) that dry stane dykes and fences, as well as lawns and plants are being destroyed and insurance companies (as usual) are walking away. It's £200 a metre for a stane dyke and these will damage up to 2 metres in one go!

We are having to take legal steps to deal with this problem but have been advised that red deer do not like mothballs. Quite apart from where a 1000 strong population (not to mention the other 2000 who suffer these invasions)can get sufficient supply of said mothballs, what I would like to know is what are the risks to other wildlife of all types by using mothballs - including implications (given our normally soggy climate) for dissolution of chemicals into the soil (not deep) and run-off etc. I am really concerned and would welcome all informed advice or sources of advice. (Please don't tell me to contact SEPA - Scottish Environmental Protection Agency - perhaps the term deadly silence is appropriate!)

If anyone has real scientific knowledge and/or helpful contacts for Scotland in particular, I'd be grateful. I've sent message to the Deer Commission if that helps.

Thank you, Jenny