1978 March & April
This
morning I heard a loud cawing of birds’ voices. They sounded
like Crows. I looked out of the spare bedroom window to see two
Magpies and three Crows making a raucous about the swing area.
March 3rd
This morning the sky was blue
with scattered cotton wool clouds. Everywhere was clear and
calm. You could see many different reflections over in the
reservoir. It was like a large mirror.
In the
garden some Snowdrops were budding and a yellow Crocus was in
flower. It is interesting to note that yellow Crocuses always
bloom first. Today, for the first time this year, I saw some
Water Spiders on the stream. It is nice to see them back again.
March 4th
When I walked down the
lane I think I saw a small group of Curlew, but I am not yet
absolutely positive. Some more Crocuses opened up today, and
Snowdrops. The Daffodil stalks seem to be growing up as you look
at them. The Alder catkins or ‘Lambs Tails’ have opened up. The
pollen is very yellow. I saw a Pied Wagtail on the bottom wall.
March 10th
Cindy is my dog and she
is about one year and ten months old. She is a mongrel: her
father was a Labrador and her mother an Alsatian, crossed with
something else. In appearance Cindy is completely black except
for a strip of white down her neck. Her eyes are dark brown. It
would not be true to say she is as good as gold because she
isn’t. I have taught her to sit and stay, but not heel - as she
rarely goes on the lead.
Her
hobbies are chasing rabbits, chewing sheep bones, and playing
with lambs when she thinks she can get away with it. She also
likes playing with the other dogs especially Ling. Shooler was
her best friend but now Ling is, because we had to sell Shooler.
I love Cindy more than anything else in the world but I don’t
think Daddy does. I have sworn at her and smacked her, stroked
her and fed her for nearly two years and I would gladly do so
for a million.
When she
has chased a rabbit and I call her, she runs near to me and sits
down, looking all innocent because she knows she has done wrong.
So I have to speak nicely to her and convince her I am not cross
and she is forgiven. If I try to approach her she runs a
distance away and sits down again. When she was young she was
spoilt to pieces. I would take Shooler and her for a walk. Now
Shooler was well trained by my Daddy, but if she knew she could
get away with being naughty she would be naughty.
The more
walks I took them, the cheekier they got until they started
running away from me. When they came back, instead of giving
them a good hiding I would pat them because I was so glad just
to have them back. Shooler was really taking the mickey out of
me. Once she started to play with a hog [a young sheep or old
lamb]. Cindy wouldn’t listen to me and began also to mess about
with the sheep. I tried desperately to stop them, knowing that
if the lamb was killed both dogs would be shot. Finally I did
so. I was so angry that I gave them both a good beating,
especially Shooler.
For
about a month I took Cindy walks on a lead because I was afraid
to let her loose. But I realised this could not go on for much
longer. Either Cindy must learn to be trusted or she would have
to go. I couldn’t tell Daddy, so I told Jack instead. Soon
afterwards I went a walk with Jack, Cindy and Shooler. Neither
of the dogs was on a lead. Jack took a big stick and made sure
they knew who was boss.
All
along the walk they didn’t misbehave once. “It’s easy,” said
Jack. “All you have to do is show them whose boss.” So I took
the dogs more walks, and gave them a few more smacks. Soon I was
confident that they knew how to behave. Only few and far between
are the times when they are naughty. Now Cindy doesn’t go on the
lead except in lambing time like now. When I walk through a
lamb-infested field she goes on the lead. Otherwise she might be
tempted to play with the lambs, and eat the sheep's’ clensings.
The only
other time she goes on the lead is when I go bird watching.
Cindy doesn’t think much of that unless she can chase the birds.
If I’m stood up she jumps up at me and whines as if to say ‘come
on lets go home’. If I’m sat down she tries to knock me over, or
else sits slap bang in front of the binoculars. Cindy has faults
like everyone. No-ones perfect. Apart from her faults she is a
good dog and I love her very much.
March 12th
This morning the sky was grey and overcast. Down at the
reservoir I saw a huge flock of Curlews fly off the island. So
on March 4th I was right, I did see some Curlew.
There must have been about 200. In all I saw about thirty ducks:
two Pochard, a Coot, a pair of Mallard, and a flock of Mallard.
Later on I saw a flock of about thirty Fieldfares on Thistle
Pasture. They are lovely handsome birds.
Tomorrow
is Monday and I am back at school, but only for the morning. All
the children are going home at dinner time. The teachers are on
strike. The unions. They won’t let us go to school all day
unless they get paid 10%. We (the pupils) are not complaining,
and I hope it goes on for as long as possible.
Last
week I picked some twigs off an Alder tree. The catkins have
fallen off the twigs, and because they have been inside, some
lovely little green leaves have opened up. They really brighten
up the window-sill.
March 13th
Today the sky was grey
and overcast and it often rained. I saw a Thrush in the Back
Meadow. In Pump House Wood the Hawthorn buds are beginning to
bulge because the leaves want to open out.
March 14th
This month my Daddy has bought
a sheepdog pup. It cost £50 and is called Moss. Daddy is hoping
to make a good sheepdog out of it. Alas it will never be as good
as Spotty Maldown was. He died in 1977. I shall never forget
him: he was more like a brother than a dog to me – there never
was as good a sheepdog! You could send him out in a field with
one word and then leave him. He would round up all the sheep and
guard them until you returned. Often I thought Spot knew more
about rounding up sheep than Daddy.
When the
bullocks came into the House Field, Spot would just love to help
me move them. He would snap at their legs and I was always
frightened of him being kicked. I just couldn’t have done it
without him. He knew without a word what I wished of him.
March 17th
As I was walking across
the Lane Field just above Jack Ash Tree I heard a terrible
raucous – like the sound Starlings make. I looked across to the
trees behind the barns where there are usually Starling to be
seen, but there were none. Then a huge flock of Starlings flew
over the wall and settled in the field in which I was stood.
There must have been at least 400 of them, and all day they were
flying about the farm, settling down every now and again for a
bite to eat.
March 18th
As I walked down the
lane I saw the enormous flock of Starlings in the Tip Meadow
behind the pond. I think spread out they could have covered the
Croft. I’ve never seen so many Starlings on the farm - there
could easily have been 700.
On
Fisher’s land beyond the reservoir I saw about forty Curlews
flying about. They seem to like their land more than ours; it
has more heath, moor and marsh, the sort of terrain Curlew like
best. Just about every day I go a walk now I see many Starlings,
quite a lot of Lapwing, a few Seagulls, and an odd Crow. So I
don’t bother to mention them in my notes. At this time of year
they are all as normal to see as clouds are.
There is
a boy called RTXSINM who lives in the village [his
name is in top secret code!].
He has brown eyes and hair, is very skinny, and acts the fool.
He doesn’t go to my school, but does go to the youth club. That
is where I see him. When he comes into the room I try not to
blush and move away. I would like to have a conversation with
him but I’m too shy, and so is he. Besides I wouldn’t know what
to talk about. I am at the age when I would like very much to
talk to some boys, but don’t know what to say.
If
you’re seen with a lad people naturally think you fancy him, but
that isn’t always the case. There is a boy called Bob who goes
to Horwich baths on Thursdays, when me and Jack go. He is a nice
lad, about 16 and I would like to chat with him. His brother
Albert is [my brother] Jack’s friend and we have some good fun.
Jack always plagues me, and says ‘go and chat Bob up - he needs
chatting up’. Which just isn’t fair!
March 19th
Nearly all day it
rained, but at last in the evening I managed to go for a walk.
Down at the lodge the water has come 27 paces under the fence. I
was amazed to find loads and loads of Frogspawn in the water.
When the water dries up, all that spawn must be moved into
deeper water. Frogspawn is made in a sloppy slimy jelly mess; it
slithers and slips so that predators can’t eat it. Mother Nature
has made it this way.
This I
shall call OPERATION SAVE THE FROGSPAWN. It will keep me busy
for a while. There is absolutely loads of it; I have never seen
so much. Some eggs already need moving into deeper water.
Finding the eggs quite surprised me as I have only seen one Frog
so far this year, and that was a young one. I shall be following
the development of the eggs. Right now there’s just a mass of
jelly with a black blob inside.
Seagulls
are the frog’s number one enemy; the frogs get eaten whilst
laying their eggs. Seagulls are scavengers. They will eat
anything edible, and some things inedible. They stick around at
this time of year for two reasons. First the delicacy of frogs,
then the treat of sheep's' clensings at lambing time.
March 20th
Today the weather was
horrible: first rain then sleet then snow. Next back into sleet
then into rain. I went to Horwich baths with Kelly, Sharon and
Georga.
We went
by bus: it took ages to get there but we had a good chat. At the
baths it was 13p admission. Everyone took it in turns to be
ducked and we played hide and seek, besides practising some
fancy dives and acrobats. Then we played leapfrog in the water.
It was good fun but terribly hard work.
Afterwards we bought some crisps. The machine had broken down,
so Sharon complained and an assistant opened it up. I bought one
packet chicken flavour and one cheese & onion. We caught the bus
back to Bolton, and then went for dinner in town. I had a ham &
tomato sandwich and a drink of Vimto. Then we caught the bus
home.
I had a
smashing day except I had to walk home through the fields whilst
it rained and sleeted. On the way up the village Kelly pushed
the bell. The bus stopped just before the telephone box. We went
downstairs and Sharon explained the bus didn’t usually stop
there. “Well you shouldn’t press the bloody bell then.” said the
driver. I hate coach and bus drivers – they think they rule the
world. It must be all that cooped up driving they do, must make
them a bit screwy.
At home
I saw two Magpies in House Field. I think they are a pair.
March 23rd
This morning when I
looked outside everything was damp and miserable. I looked out
later to see to my greatest surprise it was snowing. When I went
to pick Grandma up with [my sister] Elizabeth the snow had
cleared. After going for Grandma, I saw some Lapwings and
Curlews resting by the side of the lane. I have never seen a
Curlew so close to: usually they are very shy birds. This one
did fly away but not until we had caught it in the headlights
scan. There was a full moon.
On the news, an oil tanker has broken up.
The result was 2300 tons of oil was poured into the sea. The
authorities should have burnt the oil straight away. They didn’t
however in the hope of saving some with salvage pumps. The oil
spilt from the Amocco
Cadiz is now an 80 feet slick along the coast of Brittany.
It is also just twenty miles away from the Channel Islands. More
and more oil is being washed up on the once beautiful beaches of
Brittany.
I feel
sorry for the innocent animals and plants, for it is often them
that have to suffer the consequence. That is why I have more
time and understanding for animals and plants. I think man will
just get too big for his boots and certainly kill off all his
natural surroundings if not himself.
I saw
two poachers and six dogs on the fell.
March 24th
Today to my surprise the
sun was shining and there were patches of blue sky between the
grey rain clouds. The sun was lovely and warm and all the
crocuses had opened up. It is funny to notice that the Crocuses
always open up in this order: yellow, white, purple. I saw two
Ladybirds in the House Field today. They were 6-spotted. In the
Back Meadow I saw a Pied Wagtail.
March 25th
Today the sky has been
grey with clouds. However there has been one thing well worth
noting. I opened the window to say hello to Jack who was taking
Susie a walk. Then I heard a sound like a lamb bleating. I
thought I was hearing things. Next I saw a lamb and thought I
was seeing things. Yes - large as life and twice as natural. It
was born in the Back Meadow, and now Albert will be taking it
into care.
I have
never known a lamb born up here so early. We usually start
lambing in the second week of April. I hope it survives the cold
weather. Right now, being six o’clock there is quite a lot of
blue sky showing through the clouds and some brilliant sunshine.
The sun maybe quite warm but the wind is bitterly cold. Last
Easter it was a lot warmer than it is now.
March 27th
On my way up the lane I
saw a pair of very mysterious birds. They were shaped like a
Petrel with a snipe’s beak and were black all over, except for a
large patch of white on their backs. Looked through my bird
book, but I can’t identify them. I quickly got changed because
outside looked very inviting.
I took a
bucket and pillow case, and went to carry on operation Save the
Frogspawn. The pillow case was my latest idea. I scooped the
eggs into the case and then lifted them into the bucket after
draining them. Spent two hours moving frogspawn: the new
technique is the best one so far.
Later in
the afternoon I went a walk up the back. I saw a flock of
Starlings and a Blue Tit in the House Field. Then I went for a
swing. Suddenly I remembered the Coltsfoot might be in flower,
so I rushed to the lane. Sure enough there were the flowers,
just beginning to bud. I could just see the yellow tips showing.
When I came back I looked up to see the little ‘pinkie red
purple,’ tufts of flowers on the otherwise bare Elm tree. I was
so delighted. I’d quite forgotten about the Spring being on its
way. Like Coltsfoot, the Elm flowers before it grows its leaves.
I went
home then but in the evening I went a walk again. I saw a flock
of birds land on the trees up the back. They were either
Thrushes or Fieldfares; I’m sure I shall decide tomorrow.
However through my binoculars I definitely did see two very
handsome Thrushes. I think by their antics that they were
courting. Then I went to watch the Curlews in the Main Meadow.
There are always some to be found there at dusk. Today there
were altogether about thirty, counting those I could see at the
bottom of Hill Sixty.
On the
way back home I saw a Rabbit in Pipe Valley. We nearly fell over
it to tell you the truth. You should have seen Cindy’s face. She
looked stunned, as if thinking “where the 'eck did that come
from.” Cindy fortunately was unable to chase it because she was
on a lead.
When I
got home Daddy told me he saw a Hen Harrier by some ruins out on
the moor the other day. I was very excited because all the
'hawky' types of birds we get around here are kestrels, or an
odd sparrow hawk. Besides hen harriers are big birds, a bit like
buzzards, and rare. Plus the fact I have never seen one. So
tomorrow weather permitting, I am going to look for it. Hen
Harriers have been sighted every year for quite some time around
the valley, or so I have heard.
I forgot
to mention that I went down the lane for the milk after dinner,
a pair of twin lambs had been born, besides the single one. By
the House Field gate I saw a pair of Pied Wagtail. There is
loads of Water Crowfoot and Pondweed at the moment on the lodge.
I have also noticed quite a lot of ducks flying about just
lately. I have seen more ducks this year than ever before I’m
glad to say.
March 28th
Today the sky has been
covered with grey clouds and it has rained several times. The
wind has been very very strong and I had great fun running
through it. Despite the weather I just had to get a look at the
Hen Harrier. So I went half-way and sat down to look through my
binoculars.
I didn’t
see anything for ages, but then sure enough I saw a big bird. I
would have liked to get nearer but there were dark rain clouds
in the sky. The wind was making eerie noises as it swept across
the dead grasses and the whole place seemed spooky. I would have
gone if it had been a nice day, but decided it would be better
to turn back.
All the
time the bird just fluttered along the ground a bit and then
stopped. The way Daddy had described its movements, I had
expected that it would have gone elsewhere because these birds
are magnificent flyers. Also I would have thought there wouldn’t
be much to interest a bird like that in the middle of a moor.
The hen harrier is a scavenger and will eat what is available.
So unless there is a dead sheep’s carcass there, there must be
something wrong with it, like a broken wing. I hope to get a
closer look at it tomorrow or this evening weather permitting.
On the
way back I saw a Rabbit and some Curlews. Curlews are very shy.
Even more shy than crows, and I don’t know why. As soon as they
see you they fly away.
March 29th
Today the sky was blue
with sunshine and some enormous big grey and white rain clouds.
I crossed the road to the reservoir. When I got to my usual
standing place, five or six Snipe got up and hurriedly flew
away. Then I saw a Duck fly across the water just skimming the
surface. It was black and white, possibly a Goldeneye but I
don’t know.
Later whilst I was walking up the lane I
saw a flock of Starlings and Lapwings in the Main Meadow by the
pond. I saw some birds which resembled the pair I saw on March
27th. The sound they made sounded familiar and I
thought they must be Redshank. Looking through my binoculars I
saw the very red beak and feet that proved my theory was right –
they were Redshanks.
In the
House Field I saw three Magpies earlier on today. Although
magpies are scavengers I think they are beautiful looking birds.
March 30th
The sky was blue with
sunshine and many grey and white clouds. Saw two 6-spotted
Ladybirds on my rounds. I went later to the Gorse bush up the
Back Meadow. It was covered with closed flower buds. The Gorse
bush is special because it is the only one on the farm. I don’t
know how it got to be where it is.
I saw or
rather heard a Blue Tit singing in the House Field in the
evening. Later on, whilst letting the dogs out I heard the honk
honk of some Geese down on the reservoir. It is not often we get
geese on the reservoir and most are passers-by, so I was
determined to get a glimpse of them the following day.
March 31st
In the afternoon I set
out for the reservoir. The sky was full of rain clouds and a
grey sheet. It had been raining most of the morning. When I
arrived at the reservoir there was no sight or sound of geese.
But I did identify the mysterious duck as a
male Goldeneye, and it was with a
mate. Apart from that I only saw six Mallard and five Coots, two
of which were on the pond.