Walt Disney films

Apologies for the poor quality photo but the light had suddenly changed to a gloomy, rain soaked dusk. If you look carefully you can just make out Hughie the Guinea fowl and Rogo the cockerel sharing a crust of bread.

Now I do make an effort NOT to be anthropomorphic when I describe my animals' antics but in the case of Hughie and Rogo's relationship it is pretty hard not to. At the crack of dawn,, as soon as Rogo appeared from his ark, there was a loud chatter from the trees and Hughie floated down to crash land on the grass, within seconds he had galloped over to Rogo and fell in line behind the cockerel as he walked to the duck bath for a drink.

All day the little fella has shadowed his hero, and has not left his side even for a minute.They have fed together, watered together and have sat in the shelter of the stone wall together, Hughie's devotion to another species of bird is interesting, amusing and I must say in a Walt Disney way, strangely moving.

I wrapped up well against the rain at dusk, to watch what would happen to the guinea fowl after Rogo led his 5 hens to roost in his ark, and it was rather heartbreaking to see Hughie literally panic hysterically when the cockerel finally disappeared.

I left Rogo's coop open in the hope that Hughie would find his way up the ladder, but the unfamiliarity of the house layout seemed to confuse him, and he wouldn't trust himself to negotiate the unknown. Just as I thought he would have to fly up into the trees to roost alone , the fat placid buffs saved the day. Hughie caught sight of the girls ambling late into their own hen house and literally fell into line with them, seconds later I had shut them all safely together.