The Muck Midden

In case you were thinking that life in the country is all roses and heather, I’d thought I’d show you this. The muck midden!

The cowsheds were cleared out yesterday and this was the result - a towering mountain of manure at least twelve feet tall, twice as deep and about four times as long. You can probably smell it from where you are. J

Whilst the sight and the pong may not send humans into a happy tizzy, insects love it. And a dung heap crawling with creepy things and peppered with grain seeds draws birds like a magnet.

The farmer tells me that before a farm was established on this land, there were just seven or eight sorts of bird visiting on a regular basis. Today, a quick tally of species he sees often came to almost thirty - including some less common and endangered breeds.

So next time you’re driving past fields and get a whiff of ‘country smells’, remember the feathered ones and be glad!

Comments

[helen]

I guess it's unusual for someone to like these smells, but it is evocative of my country upbringing to me and I much prefer it to town or city smells. Horse dung I actually really like!

Very glad to hear about the increase in bird life :~)

[Rosanna]

I guess one species' dung is another species' heaven! Oh the kaleidoscope of life!

Wait, I think I smell something... :) :)

[chesteraud]

Pleased o hear the birds enjoy the muck heap - I will stick with your beautiful rainbow