Friday, February 26, 2010

Lambs at last

Carl brought ewes and lambs over from Fir House a couple of days ago. It's good to have sheep on the field again. It may still be bitterly cold, but this, at last, is a welcome sign of spring.

The ewes gave birth under cover and spent a couple of nights penned closely with their lambs. Now they continue the bonding process in our small fields where they don't get separated as they might in a larger flock. The mums are fiercely protective, crisply alert to any strange sight or sound that might signal a threat. It's an instinctive urge common to all mothers is it not?

I do wish the sun would come out for them - new lambs seem such scraps of things to leave out in all weathers. They've not yet filled out their skins and some still have birth-crumpled ears. Bless.

12 comments:

Elizabethd said...

Lovely lovely snowdrops.
I think I'd be knitting little jumpers for the lambs in this weather.

rachel said...

Always a welcome sight, newborn lambs, but oh, so early and still so cold - poor little things!

Annie said...

We saw our first down by the Lowfield a couple of weeks ago. I just love the sight of new born lambs. Spring is just round the corner now.... isn't it?
A x

Twiglet said...

I love that description -"birth- crumpled ears". My daughter M had those, pressed flat against her head - eventually turning into cute pixie ears. She seemed like a little emerging butterfly- a bit damp and crinkled aw!

her at home said...

Driving home yesteray in the icy wind and rain I saw new calves huddled next to thier mothers and thought poor things what a day to arrive!

ps word verification was drodsads which soudns likea good adjective for wet fleeced creatures in this weahter I think!

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

I haven't seen any up here yet although there are some down in the valley. I love the way the lambs work their way slowly up the hill, like trees greening.

Pondside said...

Poor wee things - I hope you get some warm sunshine soon.

Fennie said...

Terribly unfair having to give birth in the late winter. And it will be I suppose at least another month before the grass starts growing for the ewes.

Tattieweasle said...

I always loved teh lambing season - such hard but rewarding work. We used to put little coats on our weaker lambs if they were put outside when we felt it too cold. Not desperately practical but it seemed to work.

Kitty said...

Oh, bless, crumply ears, gorgeous. Around here the lambs come late (it's grim oop north etc) and the neat-and-tidy farmer puts the little lambs in plastic rain coats if it's a wet March. Seriously sweet.

And gorgeous new header to blog, very swish. I think I need a lesson.

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

So we're all agreed then . You've got to make a couple of dozen little warm waistcoats before tomorrow morning and run around popping the smallest lambs in them . Preferably before breakfast , then we can all relax and enjoy our toast.

Cathy said...

I love the way you mark them - looks like No. 31 had twins!
How are they all coping now?