Quick wander around the shore.....

 

Yesterday was another glorious day. Bright and sunny, chilly but no wind.  The weather is set to change tomorrow - we are forecast sleet and snow with a bit more wind.  Ah well.... it is Winter.  

Sadly there were a couple of cases of Covid-19 reported in Orkney today.  We have gone quite a while without any cases but with key workers travelling back and forth to Mainland Scotland, as well as local folk travelling and students back for the holidays there is always the risk of transmission.  Hopefully the cases will be few and the folk will recover quickly.

Anyway back to the short walk around the shore......  A cloud looking like a woolly sheep or a wooly wolf disguised as a woolly sheep over Stromness

Lots of seaweed by the natural swimming pool....

The horseshoe that was the "wrong way" round in yesterday's post was righted in the depth of night by a concerned neighbour!  All should be right with the world.  Unless you believe that the Devil will flow into the upturned shoe!

Creels on the old lighthouse pier.  

Button on the beach......

Across the bay.....

I took a drive round the island to keep the car running as I rarely drive it now.  I have no need to go anywhere!!  Looking over the croft of Quoys, the Community Hall (green hut) and the Manse on the hill.

And looking back across the bay to Sandside and Hoy High lighthouse. Orphir on the Orkney Mainland behind.

Still calm.....

 

Well the weather is still calm. Think there is concern today after various announcements on the tightening of lockdown restrictions.  Orkney stays in Level 3 (Scottish Govt levels) so shops and cafes can still open but no meeting in homes with anyone outside your household.  And this time schools will remain closed in Orkney, except for vulnerable children or those of key workers.  Though even that can prove challenging as the main centre for these children was Kirkwall last time and I know someone who will had a 60 mile per day journey from home, school, work, school, home.  But for me little changes at the moment.

Anyway as yesterday was yet another glorious day I had a wander to the shore again.... the day was a bit grey but not that cold and wonderfully, no wind.....  If you look closely there is a cleverly camouflaged seal pup among the rocks and seaweed in the mid left of the photo below.  Button and I retreated to give it some peace.

An old byre window.....

Button by the old byre and stable.  Love the cobble path...

I'm sure Button was a dog in a former life - she enjoys rolling in manure!

This caused consternation among some who are superstitious - the luck was draining out! Oh calamity!  

And the poor dear incarcerated hens tucking into a breakfast of porridge and rice......

Bright but chilly....

 

Bombarding you with posts of same scenery! Don't worry the daily posts will dwindle again.....  But today was bright and chilly and it was lovely being outdoors - for a while..... I'm so fortunate that this is literally on my doorstep!

Stromness and the West Mainland of Orkney under a cloud....

The old lighthouse pier....

A partial rainbow!

Some hairy lichen....

2021 begins......

 

A chilly day with rain showers but some beautiful rainbows to start 2021.....

And the whole rainbow.... well there's a bit of a gap.....

Sheep oblivious to the coloured sky.....

While behind me.....

And a few from the end of 2020......  The view from the henny house....

Hens enjoying their porridge.....

Button is unimpressed with the turning of the year.  It's the seasons she follows - bring on Spring and Summer so she can be out basking in the warms among the flowers again.....

And at 5pm there were fireworks in Stromness!  Rather blurry photos but you get the idea!

End of 2020......

 

I think it is unanimous that most people on this planet will be glad to see the back of 2020.  There is hope for 2021 with two vaccines licensed to be administered in the UK. And for me the days start lengthening which always brings hope. The garden will slowly start to emerge from its winter hibernation (as indeed may I!).  But for now some photos taken over the last couple of days.  Above it looks like a dove taking light over Stromness.... (or is it just me?)

Frosty morning....

Creel boat in the bay....

Hamnavoe ferry sailing into Stromness under the bank of cloud. Grass crisp with frost.

Button enjoying a perambulation....

Frost covered leaves...

A frosted cake - hahaha! I was delighted to receive this as a gift this Christmas.....

And late afternoon yesterday.......

The lights starting to come on in Stromness

A full moon!

Light shining in the night....

And I have just come across another Nature Blog in Orkney.  I can't add it to my blog list as it's a web page rather than blogspot.  But here is the link - do take a look....

And that's it for 2020.  Thanks for continuing to read my blog!  I hope you can have a peaceful New Year and here's to a much improved 2021 for all of us.

Incarcerated hens.....

 

It feels like a plague year....... Covid-19 and now Avian Flu around the UK.  Sadly there was a case in Orkney just before Christmas, plus several cases across Scotland and the rest of Mainland UK. So DEFRA (Department for Rural Affairs including agriculture) have said that all hens, whether commercial flocks or so called "back yard" flocks, must be kept indoors.  So my poor hens are incarcerated into the stone henny house.  It's just about big enough for them I think.  I am fretting over them.  But so far no signs of pecking or bullying and all seem to get access to food and water.  

DEFRA recommend trying to provide entertainment for indoor hens. I did wonder about a subscription to Netflix but they would fight over the remote.  Judging by their behaviour already I think they've been watching the films "Chicken Run" and "The Great Escape"!   They are starting to tunnel out!

And I have to construct an obstruction so they cannot rush out the door.  I feel bad about that - they are always waiting by the door in the morning when I go to feed them.  They are so used to being completely free range (in and out whenever they want at any time apart from bad weather).

They are getting plenty of food.  Much of it sprinkled among the hay so they have to rootle for it.  They are getting their normal hen pellets in feeders, then wild bird seed and mixed corn scattered around.  Fresh fruit, swede (neeps in Orkney), pasta (they love spaghetti - maybe they think they are eating worms!).  They were getting brassicas (cabbage, sprouts, broccoli etc) but I am reliably informed that makes the eggs smell bad.  So now at least one hen has started laying again I have cut out brassicas.

They weren't that thrilled with the broccoli it has to be said...... though maybe because I had it hanging up!  They completely ignored it.  Even when cut down and among the hay they weren't that fussed.  Can't say I blame them.  Not one of my favourites either!

One thing they fall upon with glee are the tufts of grass I have been digging up for them.  My hens love eating grass - well the fresh young grass, less so the old grass.  It's been frosty for the last couple of days so I haven't had much success in digging up some tufts.

I had put a tray of earth in to see if they wanted to rootle around in it or have a dust bath but they have expressed little interest.  So on local advice I have replaced it with a tray of shell sand.  I will see how that goes.

Sadly they are likely to be incarcerated for about 12 weeks.  Maybe I do need to think about a Netflix subscription for them..... sigh....