Bellowings and Learnings.

I was a little late topping up the birds’ feed table a couple of evenings ago and the twilight had deepened to heavy dusk. I heard a tractor coming down the lane and the immediate onset of bellowing from the cows in the field beyond the hedge. The vehicle drove by with a hay bale on the front forks, and I heard it turn into Bag Lane and stop at the bottom of the field where the cows were. The bellowing stopped.

The following day the same thing happened, only that time the tractor was coming up the lane from the direction of the pub. Again the bellowing rose to a crescendo. I heard the tractor turn into Bag Lane and I heard it stop by the gate to the field, and again the bellowing stopped.

On both occasions the cows began their cacophony when the vehicle was about 200 yards away and around a corner, so I assume they must have learned to recognise the sound of its engine. I think it also safe to assume that twilight is hay feeding time in the bovine world, and I’ve now learned the language in cow speak for ‘What kept you?’