Never forget

I walked Maggie along the Avenue this morning, and for once did not encounter a single dog walker. People were waiting at the bus stop, and a guy passed me on his mobility scooter (could be an interesting race that, Bus V Scooter), all wishing me ‘Good Morning’.
It’s a beautiful sunny day, and I found I didn’t need my gloves, hat or even my fleece, so I was a bit on the warm side when I got back to the marina.
Stopping at the top of the gantry, Maggie was looking intently at the dog walk, so my immediate thought was her interest in a rabbit, although I couldn’t actually see anything.
She wasn’t straining at the lead, but something had caught her attention, so I let her off.

I have not seen her move that fast for weeks!
It took less than 2 seconds for her to reach the tree line, then she was behind it, and all I could see was her tail intermittently through the undergrowth.
I was afraid she might hurt herself, but she was after something, and obviously enjoying the chase.

Suddenly there was a flurry of movement, a frantic flapping of wings, and the most indignant squawk I’ve ever heard.
Having flushed it out, she trotted back to me, down the gantry and headed home, where she is now completely flaked out after such excitement.

I have a theory as to why she doesn’t chase the ducks.

River Slea

We used to walk her along the river banks where there were an abundance of ducks, but always told her to ‘leave’.
She would thereafter walk quite happily past them, giving them no more than a cursory glance, just as she does here.

Pheasant and partridge are another matter.
On our country walks, she would flush these out and give chase, most of the time with us being totally unaware of their presence.
That sniffer of hers? She smells things on the air as well as the ground.
Once smelt, never forgotten.

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