Sunday 23 August 2015

Even cows can surprise you...

I was having yet another go for you know what. Again no luck with Goosander, Kingfisher, Little Egret and a couple of Wall butterflies the only sightings of note.

As I was scanning for birds a cow on the far (east) bank of the river started to bellow loudly. Most of the large herd of cows on my side of the river ignored it but three individuals started responding. The next thing one went charging down into the wet woodland here, I watched it move through the trees, crashing through branches and wading up to its stomach in the pools, a distinctly primeval vision!
I assumed it would stop when it got to the river but it simply continued and swam strongly across despite the high river levels and very strong current.




A couple of minutes later and the other two did the same with one almost getting swept away until it found its footing on some gravel and clambered out of the water.





I can only assume that some of the East Bank calves were those of the swimmers but why they responded to the adult cow’s calls and why none of the rest of the herd reacted I have no idea.

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