Wet and windy but Bertie's still out

Most of the cattle are now housed in the sheds, as even though there is grass about its not growing much and its getting increasing wet under foot. As soon at the temperatures drop to norm levels (ie 7 rather than 12 C) it will stop altogether. We have had a very good autumn and the cows have stayed out longer than some years which all saves on straw and feed. However we have two small bunches out, one group of steers and our bull Bertie, plus some heifers across the other side of the river. The river has come up alot over the last week and now spreading into some of the fields, which is quite normal in winter. Large flocks of birds are turning up, Bertie shared his field with about 60 greylag geese and a couple of thousand starlings when I went to feed him this morning. Across the other side I disturbed my first flock of teal this winter. These are really timid and at the slightest sound do a fantastic near verticle takeoff. A short eared owl was spotted around the lake behind where the heifers are this week. I have seen these hunting about a mile away at Blakehill but seeing one on or right next to the farm would be very good. Must keep the binoculars handy.