28th September 2017 Just egging them on.

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Thursday 28th 54-60F, 12C, cloudy, light wind with a rainy day forecast. Five, large birds of prey were spiraling upwards above a copse. Slightly too far away to be sure whether they were Red Kites but they had the same features. The peasants are practicing their stealth maneuvers between copses in readiness for the 1st October. A dozen or so of these birds are a regular sight wandering jerkily about together. A van had to slow and beep his horn as one gaudy male took to the main road as his harem dutifully followed.

Pheasants are not remotely the brightest of creatures. They have the same habit as hares and will run [forever] straight down the middle of the road even when there is no hindrance on the verges. Both will cheerfully cross the road to the illusion of greater safety even when they were perfectly safe on the opposite verge. There are numerous compounds in the woods and copses where hundreds of pheasants are raised. Usually in the company of a few, caged chickens.

I have often wondered whether their are pheasant egg farms. How else would the hunters have access to many thousands of young? Of course there are! Hunter's cannon fodder must be a nice sideline for pheasant pluckers who produce the birds for food. I am not particularly against shooting but wish they'd do it more quietly! It can be terrifying to be riding along, minding my own business, only a for a gun to go off, close by, without any warning!

The upside is that the Danish countryside is obviously managed for shooting. So many small copses and tree-lined, field ponds would probably vanish otherwise. It all adds to the beauty of the countryside whatever one may think about shooting something warm and fuzzy just for sport. No doubt it helps keep the rural social life going as well. Just a short walk around and across the stubble fields. It hardly rained all day but I was too busy for  ride.

Friday 29th 55-60F, 13C, light wind and heavy overcast with a damp start promised. Short walk. Rather cool with spots of rain in the air. It stayed dry for a ride of 13miles along the main roads. There was no other sensible route to my intended goal. Going well despite the easterly wind.

Saturday 30th 53F-12C, dark grey and windy form the east again. All day rain is forecast. 

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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