An unpleasant surprise
Last weekend after a week without holiday makers in our Scandinavian lodges, I was doing my usual Saturday checks with Farmer Nick round the properties when we both found rather too much 'poop' on the decking just outside the patio doors!
Too big for small birds, too small for a fox, the wrong shape for rabbits, it had to be pheasants! We had seen them in the woods behind and for reasons known only to them they had decided that under the lodge eaves on the door step was the best pheasant 'hang out' zone. We had to put a stop to this before we had holiday makers staying in there again in the week.
A challenge to the children
As ever at the weekend we are only too keen to distract them from TV and technology and so we set them a challenge to go to the shed and devise a trap to catch any pheasant seaking 'squatters rights' on our lodge decking. The rules were simple, it had to be workable, not injure the bird and not make more mess than the birds!
Off they trotted full of ideas and enthusiasm all instantly in competition with each other for the best trap on their secret mission.
I was actually quite taken back with the logic behind all their inventions having secretly doubted they would come up with anything without a substantial input from Nick or me.
Coombe Kids proudly present their pheasant traps:
Patiently they took their positions and waited.........
Soon distracted
Sadly patients is not something my children are blessed with and when the pheasant's failed to appear they found themselves distracted by the prospect of flushing them out from the woods, this involved lots of fun and much "Sshhh they are just up there" but we failed to spot them!
Never mind, perhaps they would come past if we just had a little play in the next door play area and went skidding down the slippery grass bank? Yer right! Not with that football flying round and all the shouting and laughter!
The results?
Not surprisingly it was round one to the pheasants, but it still made for a fun day and a very different activity for the children. Back to sweeping the poop off the decks for me!
Joining in with Country Kids
What have you been up to outside with the kids? Now that the snow has melted and the temperatures risen I am hoping you have been inspired to grab some fresh air fun time. Please grab the badge and share with me here on the linky. There are some great outdoor ideas here each week so please take a minute to check a few out. Last week I was particularly taken with The Puffin Diaries and their Cliff Top Adventure A bargain at Wildwood from Faded Seaside Mama and A post from Jamacia from Brinabird
