~Guard Donkey~

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My last post was about a flock of Black Vultures who took up residency in our goat pasture…..

I’m totally cool with them co-habitating with us…..

…..I also understand that the world is made up of different creatures…who can only be…what they were meant to be…..

…..Vultures…are…Vultures…..

They will reliably look like a vulture…..

…..and reliably act like a vulture…..

I think people make the mistake of trying to expect more from an animal than what they can deliver…..

Vultures aren’t for petting zoos…..

If you put a cat in with a canary…you know what will most likely happen…..

If you leave a plate of cookies on the counter around tall Irish Wolfhounds…you’ll return to find crumbs on their whiskers and a broken plate…..

…..it’s a given…..

Years ago while we were fox hunting…Mary Constance told me about vulture-behavior on cattle ranches during calving season…..

…..as horribly sad as it was…she told me that vultures will peck the eyes out of new born calves while they’re being born…..

the mothers can’t do anything about it…and the babies can’t do anything either…..

Doctor Brigid warned me of much the same thing…she also checked which type of vultures we have here…just to make sure…..

…..apparently Turkey Vultures are less inclined to eat something that’s still alive…while Black Vultures aren’t as discriminant…..

I won’t be foolish when we have goats kidding or mares foaling…..

…..vultures will be………….vultures…..

I’ve read a good way to deter vultures (or crows) is to save a dead carcass of one of their kind…and hang the effigy near their roost…..

…..I have to say…I think a dead effigy would put me off a restful night’s sleep too…..

The article I read went so far as to suggest freezing a dead bird…so you’re prepared should the vultures return…..

…..my freezer already has some curious things in it’s dark recesses…..

…..(last week I found an unidentified/frozen bag)…..

…..(it was an icy/solid Bufo toad…who I’d forgotten)

…..(my friend Tess told me that was the kindest way to “dispatch” them)…(he’s still in there)…..

Since living here…over the years…we’ve had a number of donkeys…..

…..with Annie’s untimely death………….we are currently/sadly donkey-less…..

Donkey’s are great at deterring dog attacks on goat herds…..

…..they keep coyotes at bay…and apparently…they’re good at clearing out indiscriminate-snacking-munching vultures…..

I need to find another donkey…..

…..sigh…..

…..I’ll miss my convening Congress of VuItures…I liked them…..

#floridabeefcouncil

#cattleranching #donkeys #irishwolfhounds

#carrion #blackvultures #turkeyvultures #guarddogs #guardiandonkey #coyotes #bufotoad

Swamp Hag