Residents

I am beginning to hate my 12 hour shifts in the claustrophobic environment of Intensive care. The People work is fine and always will be, but the constant ventilator and monitor alarms dont half get you longing for the quietness of the field and the occasional cluck of the hens.
Most of the poultry had retired to bed when I got out at 8.30 pm to fill the water feeders and duck bath, so I had to content myself with watching the native wildlife that exists along side the hens,ducks,chicks and turkeys.
The population of rabbits have increased considerably over the past few months and with the recent absence of Duncan (who consistently chased them out of the enclosures) have now spent increasingly long sorties amid the henhouses.I counted at least 8 of them grazing this evening.
The hedge at the bottom of the field is filled with a whole flock (over 50) sparrows, who argue and chatter amongst themselves like a troup of St Trinian school girls. They often attack the uncovered vegetables in the allotment (especially cabbage), but at this time of evening they are deep in the hawthorn, twittering loudly before they roost.
I know that badgers cross the field each night ( you can see their trails quite clearly), but apart from one time in the back garden I have never witnessed their passing..
When I was walking back to the cottage in the heavy gloom of dusk, out comes the string of pipistrelle bats that scream their way up and down and down and up the lane.in search of insects. Faraway a fox is barking and further on the horses from the stables are galloping around their field in clumsy playfulness.
I have to remind myself....It is a nice place to live.