Dongling again

Quick update on the lambing -

Eventually I have got around to getting the dongle up and running and find myself once again parked up in strange places where there is mobile phone reception, there are many high hills around here and reception isn't that easy to find. Not to worry, I can cope with the strange looks I get from passing traffic!

The night lambing is getting through. The 12th April saw Shep once again heading back into the North Tyne but not before having been in the Rede to gather sheep. It was a long gather, taking three hours. The dogs were happy but Shep was tired - aah! Managing a couple of hours kip I needed to visit a friend before returning over the border.

The shepherd had been very kind as I'd warned him I may well be late for my shift, as indeed I was by an hour, these were special circumstances, my visit to my friend was very important, for once more important than sheep and fortunately the shepherd understood this dilema. Life is all about give and take, 12 hour shifts don't exist, the shift will be the duration it takes which is generally longer than allowed, that way there is some lea way should it be necessary to shoot off and deal with something of importance. As happened in this instance.

The following day the hill ewes started to lamb, no problems, fortunately, as I was so tired having only managed 2/3 hours sleep in the past 36, the ewes were gracious and didn't cause me further grief.

The night of the 13th I was ordered to go to bed - my god! I must have been grumpy!!

In all fairness the shed is well lambed out now and the hill is starting to get on with the job, day and night are beginning to mingle into one. The shepherd obviously thought I wasn't going to be much use for the job if I didn't get some sleep.

It was bliss.......... A night in bed !

So to date there are a number of lambs running on the hill. The crunchylaw are the only ewes to be lambed in a enclosure and the plan is to gather them tomorrow night (which will be the 15th) Shep has been putting mineral buckets out all over the hill ground and checking all is well. The shed sheep will find themselves in the pens any day soon and see what is/is not in lamb (none of these sheep are scanned), there are less than 30 at the moment and there is no doubt that a few of those appear to be running light (not in lamb).

The weather is still holding out, cool wind but dry and still any amount of grass. There have been one or two prolapses amongst the field sheep but no bother to date out on the hill. Everything seems to be going very well - long may it last!

I saw a leveret (baby hare), unfortunately it was dead, but hey! Still pretty in a dead sort of way!! Yes! I even took a photo, but can't share it with you until I work out what the gremlins are up to on this blog - y'know, the ones which make pictures vanish and just leave a red cross in their place - them gremlins! Did I hear a sigh of relief? Do I take it no one wants to see a dead baby hare??