Not for the squeamish

Not the best of weeks really, too much work so missed out on the RBF invasion, bit annoying to learn one was found dead in Dounby, then come the weekend horrible cold and generally conked out, oh and the Honda broke, puncture with bike going to work (Louise had my car), and the worst was the rat issue. I won't mention the referendum, oh shit I have.... Whichever way anyone voted it was all a bit deflationary in the days after (I'm not saying how I voted). I do think that it is last chance saloon for UK tho', if the promises are broken we'll be doing it all over again in a year or two and this will certainly be an independent country then.

Youngest daughter reported rat in bedroom on Sunday p.m. This happened previously a few months ago and we eventually removed it by throwing her small chest of drawers in the garden and watched a medium sized rodent high-tail it off across the lawn. Not so easy this time. Couldn't find the beggar. An hour or so later Ellen reported rat in another room. When I went in the house there was male cat prowling in the living room and Louise with a broom and trousers tucked into socks on guard. Fortunately I had wellies on, armed myself with other broom and returned to the fray. Louise and the cat found the rat. Rat ran, cat chased, rat went under sofa. Easy methinks, lift sofa; no rat. Eventually we figured out that the rat was in the the sofa. Cat lost interest. So we took the sofa to bits pretty much, turned it upside down but couldn't get the rat out. Shut the door to the rest of the house, open conservatory doors and retire. Several hours later the plan had not worked, the faithful hound confirmed that the rat was still tucked up in the sofa frame. Took a knife to the sofa internal fabric, cutting a few strategic holes. Poked the holes with broom handles and eventually after a lot of rat running about inside sofa Louise got lucky and walloped it one. A somewhat reduced speed rat was then finally caught a further blow or two and eventually removed with the fire tongs... That took some doing.

The mothing has been a bright spot, pictures later. And the Grey Wagtail in neighbour's trees on Saturday quite a star bird. Greenshank at Bosquoy on Sunday was first for the year and Sunday also produced a juv Hen harrier, two Sparrowhawks, a Merlin and  a Buzzard. Warbler of the week, a single Chiffchaff.