See what some others have noticed this week: Maggie at: Farmers Wife Day By Day.
Helena at: Helenascreativemaven
This week while I was wandering about, I noticed several old & overgrown & mostly abandoned railway tunnels. I was talking with a local farmer who told me these were once all created & used by the local farmers to move livestock from one field to another. When the rail line was put in & subsequent highway, it cut the fields in two, the railway company had to install tunnels to allow safe passage of livestock from one field to the other. Two of the tunnels were for large livestock, which are obvious by size but one smaller one was created & used for poultry & water fowl, although I am convinced the farmer was pulling my leg! Old land maps do show that there was once a large duck/goose farm in the area. All these livestock farms have since been sold on to developers for estate homes Footprints in the snow & mud show that currently the tunnels are in active use by the local wildlife such as foxes, raccoons & coyotes.
I was going to say that flocks of poultry don't usually move around like that but then I thought I have seen pictures of poultry and fowl being herded in China. Who knows!
ReplyDeleteIt is not uncommon for cattle to take a while to get used to having to use a tunnel when they are not used to it.
Ah yes cows & tunnels. As a kid that was one of our farm tasks to go get the cows in & through the tunnel which also had a large pond on one side of the opening. Rita was always the most difficult - it was a hated task.
DeleteI honestly don't know if it's a leg pull or not: we have stories which go round here every so often about tunnels built to help hedgehogs get across roads (or under roads..you know what I mean..)
ReplyDeleteI like this story - not sure if hedgehogs are considered pests in your area, we don't have them, I think the are so cute.
DeleteSorry to stick my oar in. For interest, the UK population has declined drastically in the last 50 years and they are now classified as endangered. They have their own hospitals and everything! (One called St. Tiggywinkle's, up in Buckinghamshire!!) Now I am reminded of a hedgehog cake mum used to make when we were small. I could be tempted to reprise ... next birthday?! :o)
DeleteI read this out of context and thought you were talking about people Ella! Yes we love hedgehogs. My daughters have only ever seen one! Bring back Mrs Tiggywinkle!
DeleteLady Ella thanks for that update - did not know hedgehogs were considered endangered, that's sad, I imagine it's because of habitat not disease that has decreased the population. Hedgehog cake!?! I like the idea of that. I am going to look up Tiggywinkle.
DeleteShe's a Beatrix Potter character - a laundry lady!
DeleteUmm - not an expert but I don't think it is disease. Off the top of my head: cars/roads, badgers, foxes, litter/barbed wire, pesticides. They also have a habit of setting up home in compost heaps/piles put out for burning - we get warnings around bonfire night to check for hedgehogs before setting anything alight. I too have only seen one live hedgehog out and about - in Switzerland - although I have visited St. Tiggywinkle's Hospital and seen them there too. (Also seen quite a lot of squashed ones - TMI!)
Some of the problem with hedgehogs is the layout of our gardens nowadays. Less hedges etc for them to live in. Walls and fences aren't accommodating and don't allow them to move from garden to garden.
DeleteSlug pellets are also an issue as they eat slugs and snails.
Sorry to hear you are not familiar with Mrs Tiggywinkle. What about Peter Rabbit?
Thanks, it was the rescue/hospital I was googling for; their work is very interesting. The more I read about hedgehogs the sorrier I am that we do not have naturally in Canada (North America). Tales of Peter Rabbit & his gang, along with Christopher Robin & his gang, I discovered when I became an Auntie :)
DeleteWell, interesting tale. I would certainly have believed it ... what does that say about me?!
ReplyDeleteIt says that you are kind because like me, I would worry that the ducks & geese get across the road/tracks safely. I have just discovered that in the late 20's & 30's this area had huge turnip fields/sheds - now there's a tale I need to find out more about.
DeleteIn the Canadian Rockies there are tunnels as well as overpasses built to allow wildlife to cross the major highways. We saw quite a few of them, but I don't think I have any photos.
ReplyDeleteI have seen those over/under passes in the Alberta parks - it's a cool idea to ensure safety for all. Hitting a moose or elk never has a good outcome for beast or driver. I don't think I have photos of the passages either.
DeleteHow very interesting - I've enjoyed seeing these photos & learned something new today! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Melissa. I hope you are enjoying your retreat.
DeleteI have seen a few of these over here, where roads have been built across a farmer's land - they're used for sheep or goats to get through. They're looking a little overgrown - perhaps not much used? Very interesting to see!
ReplyDeleteOh these crossing are not in use for any farm animal now - which is sad that so many farms are being taken over for the suburb sprawl.
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