BS: Varmints

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 09 Mar 21 - 02:47 PM

Now that most pupils are back at school, there has been quite a serious incident with what people here are now calling 'Bloody BamBam'. He appeared outside the school gates at our village Primary School this morning as the children were arriving and tried to force his way in. The teachers had to come out en masse and try to get him to go away (he wouldn't!) so they shut the school gate and only opened it to let each child get through.
He attacked several mums, pushed over some babies in their pushchairs and in the end the Headmistress phoned his owner.
She arrived on horseback (!) but even she couldn't get Bloody BamBam to follow her home.
The Police were called and made her fetch her horsebox. Lots of folk surrounded the deer and pushed him into the vehicle.
I think this is the end for the Beast, and he will have to be contained or re-homed.
Oh Deer! (sic)

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 Mar 21 - 09:52 PM

This Varmints thread is turning into
The Sad Saga of BamBam the Deer.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 13 Mar 21 - 03:35 AM

Yes, that's true keberoxu! I just hope I'm not boring everybody.
But the latest development is that the Parish Council called an open-air meeting outside the village shop for people to discuss the situation and express their views. Present was a representative of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. And - BamBam himself arrived!! (presumably to make his views known)
We didn't attend, it's illegal to congregate during lockdown, even in the open air. But apparently it got rather heated and the two 'camps' ended up shouting at each other. The owner of BamBam wasn't there.
Nothing was resolved, so now there will be an online meeting next Wednesday (is it called a 'Zoom' thing?) and the Police will be taking part as well.
A special animal park in Norfolk, with enclosed fields, has been suggested, where the deer could roam around but not get out, and be among other deer, which would in my opinion be ideal.
Husband saw the beast yesterday on his way to work, and told me BamBam is now gigantic! Very muscular and as big as a horse.
The shop lady told husband that she's sick and tired of hosing deer wee wee from the step into her shop. And many customers have run away in fear instead of coming in to buy stuff.
Oh deer!

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 10:01 PM

And what was the outcome
of BamBam Goes On ZOOM?

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Mar 21 - 07:55 AM

Well the meeting online took place, but apparently descended into yet another 'bunfight'. The owner joined in and said she hadn't got a solution, but felt unable to move BamBam to another location. She was subjected to a lot of abuse, which I think is wrong. Abuse is never, ever acceptable.
I think she feels very maternal towards the deer and has brought him up from a tiny vulnerable fawn. In effect, she truly loves him and he loves her. Having loved many cats over the years, I can relate to her feelings. But I just hope and pray that there won't be a dreadful accident in which either the deer or a human gets badly hurt or even killed.
I didn't join in 'online' but neighbour-across-the-road told me all about it this morning.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Mar 21 - 10:13 PM

The Norfolk Wildlife Trust ...
I wonder if they could actually save the animal,
before it's too late?

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Mar 21 - 09:58 PM

... but what has been decided about
Bloody BamBam?

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Mar 21 - 04:06 AM

Well, the owner (called Lucy) put up an electric fence around part of her property (The Old Vicarage has a considerable acreage of land attached to it) But BamBam leapt over it with ease and continued his wanderings. He was even seen in Fustyweed (the next village along from ours). So Lucy had some men build a fence along the river bank, sectioning off her horses' field, and popped the deer in there. But BamBam (getting ever more angry and frustrated) butted it until it collapsed, jumped into the river and swam down to the bridge, where some children saw him emerge.
Lucy is on the point of a nervous breakdown I think. Many villagers have now posted messages to her on the Village Facebook, supporting and encouraging her. I can't think of any solution which would keep BamBam, Lucy, the whole village and any passing motorists safe and happy.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Mar 21 - 07:20 AM

Oh God, I'm sitting here in tears. BamBam is dead. Apparently he had a fit during the night and died in his owner's arms. The whole village is devastated. I'm so sad, for him but particularly for Lucy. She must be absolutely crushed by her loss.
Husband thinks he may have eaten something dangerous in someone's garden (pesticide, herbicide, poisonous plant).

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Mar 21 - 08:25 AM

I'm not naturally suspicious but that sounds dodgy to me. I'd be thinking that a post mortem might be in order. The way you've characterised him makes him sound like a bit of a marmite individual...

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Mar 21 - 09:09 AM

You may be right Steve. My neighbour and I were talking just now, and we wondered if someone fed him poison in order to 'do away with him'.
Having a fit sounds suspicious to us. I agree that a post-mortem would be advisable.
At a time like this, people coping with lockdown, many of our elderly residents have died lately (not Covid, but other things) everyone depressed and edgy, this is just about the Tin Lid.
I expect there will be moves afoot to put up some sort of memorial or statue to BamBam.
Everyone here is very very sad. RIP BamBam!

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Jos
Date: 23 Mar 21 - 09:14 AM

Very sad.
Maybe they should put a statue outside the pub, and rename it 'The Stag' or 'The Fox and Stag'.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Mar 21 - 11:54 AM

Oh Jos, what a lovely idea! I'm waiting for the village movers and shakers to come up with comments, ideas and suggestions. The pub being renamed The Deer would be delightful.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 23 Mar 21 - 03:29 PM

Hmmm. "The Deer Inn." I'd be looking for a cheaper one down the road...

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Mar 21 - 04:06 PM

Hee hee Steve! Our rather cheeky neighbour told me quite recently about a pub in Marham (about 30 miles from our village) called the Whippet Inn. I expect you can imagine why he thought this was extremely funny. I had to think about it for a bit, but then twigged and giggled.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Charmion
Date: 24 Mar 21 - 09:39 AM

So sorry for the loss of BamBam. That's just sad.

Animals do occasionally die of conditions that cause seizures. My dear cat Perdita did; I think it was a stroke. She was 19 years old, so I thought it was only to be expected. One minute she was leaping for the kitchen counter, the next she was dead on the floor.

Does the village have a large animal vet who would do a necropsy?

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Mar 21 - 12:11 PM

I'm so sorry about your darling cat Charmion. It must have been distressing to say the least, despite her age. And you're right of course, animals can die suddenly from any number of things, strokes, heart attacks and so on. But the poor deer was just over a year old, and very fit.
However nobody will voice their doubts in public about what might have happened, out of respect and pity for the poor lady (Lucy). She may well have a veterinary expert perform a post-mortem to find out the cause.
Our village Facebook is filling up with literally hundreds of expressions of sadness and condolence, from Elsing, Sparham and Fustyweed.
I feel reasonably sure the next thing will be suggestions for a statue, memorial, commemoration or plaque for BamBam.
I can't get out of my head that sweet little song composed by a village lady (she does music sessions for nursery-age children) It was online (Oh deer BamBam) but I'm trying to stop humming it - it brings tears to my eyes.
If you want to listen to it, Google Glow-Worms OHDEERBAMBAM and it will come up. It only lasts a couple of minutes.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Mar 21 - 01:49 PM

Seeing as this is MUSIC,
I started a thread in the music section
with a link to the Oh Deer BamBam song video.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Mar 21 - 08:57 PM

After all, if there are
traditional songs about keepers or poachers of royal deer,
there must be other songs about deer ...

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Mar 21 - 05:16 AM

The latest concern here is a plague of frogs. Between our village and Fustyweed there are hundreds of frogs bouncing around in the road. Difficult not to squash them.
It won't be long I'm sure before the Mad Swans are tottering along our main street followed by their exhausted cygnets.
And the Morris-dancing pigeons are assembling in ever increasing numbers on our bungalow roof early each morning. And leaving their messages of regard down all our window panes.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Mar 21 - 05:20 AM

And the 'GoFundMe' has already raised over a thousand pounds for some sort of memorial to BamBam, possibly a statue outside the village hall and a plaque. I had to smile when one villager posted on our Facebook that he thought a 'plague' (sic) would be a good idea! I was tempted to reply that Covid 19 was enough as far as 'plagues' go.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Apr 21 - 11:06 PM

Joe Offer laments,
above the line in the Fruhlingsmusikanten thread,
that the frogs
have returned for another spring
to drive him to contemplate an act of frogicide.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Jos
Date: 18 Apr 21 - 03:21 AM

I love to hear the frogs in the spring, partying in my pond.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 20 Apr 21 - 06:25 PM

Australia?   

What is this I hear, about far too many MICE ?

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Apr 21 - 11:14 PM

Meanwhile,
it is spring in April, or meant to be.
But today, in western Massachusetts,
we started out warm,
and then the temperature dropped
something like twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit
in a matter of hours.
Now it is snowing.

And after dark, the froggy peepers started peeping away ...
I had to move my parked car after 10 pm, it was bitter cold,
the snow was falling.
and there were still a few forlorn
peep peep   peeep? going on.
I picture frogs freezing slowly to death.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 May 21 - 01:50 PM

Well, here's the latest from Chicago, Illinois,
informally known as the Second City.
What I find suspicious about this top-of-the-ratings pronouncement
is that a competitive business franchise of exterminators
is conducting this poll.
Special interests, anyone?

The solution, as reported in this link, is interesting.
Tree House Humane Society

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 May 21 - 03:48 PM

Marked increase in roadkill in western Massachusetts,
now that the weather is warm enough
to have melted ALL of the ice.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Jul 21 - 11:54 PM

Are porcupines varmints? I guess it depends.

The incident reported on, in the following link,
is from last year actually.

It's a news story now because the sentencing of the two men just happened this week.
Also note the mention of the Veterans' Administration,
the U. S. Marine Corps,
active duty in Afghanistan,
and post-traumatic stress disorder.

And yes, I DO feel sorry for the --
did they say, eleven total? -- porcupines.
Maybe Stephen King could make a story out of it.

Bangor Daily News: Sentencing for porcupine killers

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Jul 21 - 06:22 AM

We have had several cockchafers around here. They are large, winged things (beetles actually) about the size of a golf ball. They fly/blunder about making a very loud, low buzzing noise. I'm always pleased to see them because they're not all that common nowadays, I like their loud throbbing buzz (and their name makes me giggle).

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Jul 21 - 10:06 PM

A tick had the brass nerve to BITE my arm.
All I did was cross a grassy lawn
from one building to my parked car in the parking lot.
It's not a big bite.
But sheesh, that big ring around the bite on the skin ...

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Jos
Date: 20 Jul 21 - 03:21 AM

Keb, if you have a red ring around the bite you MUST get medical treatment if you haven't already. The disease ticks carry can cause mental problems that you really don't need.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 20 Jul 21 - 10:55 AM

The ring is yellow.
Only the little bite is red.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Jos
Date: 20 Jul 21 - 12:36 PM

I'd have it looked at anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Donuel
Date: 20 Jul 21 - 01:13 PM

The virus of Lyme disease found in ticks is a pernicious spirokete, related to Syphillus. Catch it late and one faces years of medication, catch it way late and crippling symptoms appear. Catch it early even if tests can't detect it yet and take the pills for months.
Cephalexin worked for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Jul 21 - 03:44 PM

The nurses are going to get a doctor's appointment
to get the nibble/bite looked at --
even the hard little lump is nearly gone now.

My social worker here at the clinic came back from vacation.

The backyard at his home, at about half-past-two in the morning one night,
got a visit from a bear cub.
Mature enough to get itself into a lot of trouble,
too dumb and ignorant to get itself out of trouble.

The bear cub tried to climb a sapling of a tree next to the deck.
The darned branches cracked under the cub's weight,
although the trunk stood up regardless.

My social worker, busy attempting to restrain his two dogs
( one of them is inclined to fight to the death regardless),
heard the noise the bear cub was making.
It was a distress cry like calling to the bear's dam.

A horrible noise, he tells me.
It combined a whine, a howl, and something like a hiss.

All ended peaceably
with the dogs locked in the house
and the cub, well, it got itself away in one piece somehow.
(Glad it didn't visit MY area.)

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Jul 21 - 05:50 AM

Gosh! I can't imagine what we'd do if a bear cub appeared round here!
We've had a weird event this morning in the village. About two hundred (yes, 200!) ducks escaped from a duck farm (they lay eggs for sale, duck eggs are big and much enjoyed here, but we don't like them) and were wandering around in one giant flock in and out of people's gardens. Several folk from the farm came and gently rounded them up, then posted a video on our village Facebook site. They were later transported off to Fustyweed.
The ducks can't fly because they've had their flight feathers trimmed.
I also saw the red kite hovering over our house.
And thrips are landing on our T shirts in their hundreds. I have a white T shirt with black dots on, and suddenly the black dots seemed to be increasing by the dozen!
And more cockchafers are bumbling about buzzing loudly.
This village is still quite mad!

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Jul 21 - 06:00 AM

You could even say we were all quackers!

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Donuel
Date: 25 Jul 21 - 06:25 PM

In the last 2 years I have had to rescue Ralph the raccoon from our garbage can three times after the hinged lid closed on him.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Jul 21 - 01:45 PM

The doctor seriously doubts that I had a tick bite.
More likely some sort of biting fly, like a horsefly or "greenfly".
After those initial symptoms during the first five days or so,
the whole thing quieted down to normal and the bite disappeared.

But the doctor has told me what to watch for,
should the symptoms of Lyme Disease in fact present themselves.
That skin rash, which I have never had, is one of the big symptoms.
Also flu-like symptoms.

So I have not had the titer/test for Lyme disease,
and I'm watching to see what develops -- hopefully nothing more.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Aug 21 - 09:07 PM

Back in the summer of 2018, a post was entered by someone
whose home had a 'bush cricket' come inside
that had to be gently removed and taken back outside.
I had no idea what a 'bush cricket' was.

Yesterday I saw my first bush cricket,
or so I am told that's what it was.
This from one of the kitchen staff where I am staying.
The staffperson has a smartphone with a camera, and snapped a photo of the insect,
then looked it up, and reported to the rest of us
that it was a bush cricket.
I would never have attached the word 'cricket' to this thing.


It's a pale green color and its body
is shaped like a leaf on a bush: brilliant camouflage.
Then its three pairs of legs are like something
from a daddy-long-legs spider,
these LONG skinny bent appendages.

For whatever reason, this beastie left the bushes
and positioned itself on the railing for the
wheelchair-access ramp to the front door of the residence.
Just sat there on top of the railing where anyone could see it.

We all came creeping over to it and exclaiming over it,
pointing at it, hunching down to look closer at it.
I thought it might try to get away.
It just sat there.

I have never seen anything quite like it in real life,
it reminds me of nature films that show exotic creatures.

Nobody touched it and I guess it went back to where it came from.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Aug 21 - 03:40 AM

My poor sister told me she woke up in the middle of the night and her entire bedroom was a-buzz with literally hundreds of wasps. They were all over the curtains, the walls, the furniture, and one had even stung her foot, which is what had wakened her! She's a tough lady, so she merely swatted them out as best she could, but couldn't see where they were coming from. The next night, there they were again, but in reduced numbers.
I told her to contact the Pest Control people, who would locate the nest (usually a thing like a large paper ball) and eradicate the blooming things permanently. I reckon the nest was probably in her loft.
She hasn't done this though, and today I got another e mail saying they're back again, but only about a dozen!
I'm only afraid of spiders, but wasp stings can be dodgy.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 27 Aug 21 - 12:23 PM

? Katydid ?

All my life I have observed the word 'Katydid' in North American english-language literature, and never knew
quite what insect they were talking about.

So here I am online, looking up 'bush cricket' to see if
it matches what I saw the other day on the ramp railing outdoors.
"Leaf Mimic" -- positively, absolutely, yes.
So I'm searching on 'cricket' and 'leaf mimic' together, and up pops
KATYDID.

I'll be darned!

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Aug 21 - 09:15 AM

Do ants milk katydids like we milk cows?

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Aug 21 - 10:09 PM

Why would you milk something that mimics a leaf on a bush?


Anyway,
Senoufou, what is the latest on your wasp-bedevilled sister?

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 31 Aug 21 - 02:57 AM

She's getting along better now thank you keberoxu. There have been no more wasps in her bedroom - she reckons she's managed to 'swat the lot' out of the window. She was worried that her feisty little cat Mela might try to catch one and get stung in her mouth. This can cause the throat to swell and the cat would die.
My neighbour and I were sitting on The Bench when she noticed a large grey thing making its way across our lawn. It was an elephant-hawk moth caterpillar! Blooming enormous (about as long as a pencil and as thick as a finger) They're nice things, and the moths are beautiful. I gently picked it up and popped it onto a bush to pupate. If not, a blackbird might have fancied it for his tea!

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Aug 21 - 07:31 AM

aphids

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Apr 22 - 08:58 PM

Hugely entertaining spectacle on the green grassy lawn today.
Two crows, and one grey squirrel.

Normally this time of year, the squirrels chase each other,
and it's up and down and around all the trees and things.

But I guess this squirrel was hungry, and for whatever reason,
he wanted something that he could dig up out in the open in the grass.
So there he was, dig dig dig, all business.

The crows were not amused. They wanted to stalk around in the open.
I know not why. An occasional desultory peck at the ground,
but mostly they seemed to be strolling in the sunshine.
And they did NOT want that grey squirrel on their turf.

For several minutes, squirrel versus crows. Not to the death, mind you.
Just each of them sort of chasing the other about.
That darned squirrel actually ran straight at the crows!
And those things are pretty big, compared to a squirrel.
Notwithstanding which, the squirrel made the crow JUMP to one side.

When the crows were impatient enough,
they would move well away from the squirrel,
launch into the air,
and FLY at the squirrel which worked far better than trying to chase the squirrel from the ground.

And squirrels are hilarious when they decide they HAVE to run for it.
I sat there and laughed and laughed.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Senoufou
Date: 22 Apr 22 - 01:21 AM

I now have two new 'friends' - Mr & Mrs Quackie. They are a pair of rather beautiful mallard ducks who have discovered my sunny front garden. They come waddling over to visit me. (The nearby river and the small lakes are thronged with water birds). I crumble up some bread for them and they happily scoop it up while quacking loudly to each other and to me. But ... when they leave, they say 'thank you' by dropping two large and sloppy poos on my drive, the neighbours' cars or my windows. Then the numerous bloomin' seagulls swoop down and finish up the last of the bread, 'thanking' me in the same way.
I can't decide whether to continue offering bread and risking a poo shower, or to withdraw from managing my 'bird restaurant'.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: Mrrzy
Date: 23 Apr 22 - 04:20 PM

My Tazzie sis has marsupial pests that apparently have sex till they disintegrate. Not mice, but like.

Subject: RE: BS: Varmints
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Apr 22 - 03:13 PM

The only time I think of earthworms, bless them, as varmints
is when they show up on a rain-flooded pavement first thing in spring.