Gus on the beech

The most recent blip of Gus was on the 9th May, far too long a gap for at least one of his admirers. We went for a walk with Mrs G at lunchtime to look at the beech tree with the massive footplate which has featured here on a few occasions. It's one of Gus's favourite spots, since he learned early on that there were plentiful treats to be had for posing for a photograph while sat amongst the roots. Here he is with his back against the trunk, illuminated against the darker woodland backdrop.

I don't know when it happened, but the tree has lost its massive lowermost horizontal branch, it was torn off close to the trunk, and since chainsawed into pieces that still lie scattered about. 

As for Gus, he is doing well. He is older and slower, his back legs have lost their spring, and one of his shoulders is weak so that he occasionally stumbles as he walks.  His hearing has deteriorated, he doesn't hear the tinkle of the metal of his collar and lead which not so long ago were his cue to get up, tail wagging ready for a walk. His eyesight is also not so acute, and in poor light he can become disoriented if we are some distance from him. On the other hand, his sense of smell is clearly undiminished, and he spends much of his walks in contemplation of a world of scent which is beyond our senses (perhaps just as well). In the mornings he is still always ready for his early walk however foul the weather may be, and he still insists on a lunchtime and evening walk too. And he is just as gentle and lovely as ever as we approach the seventh anniversary of his arrival in Arnside. How old is he now? We don't know, but he may be as much as 14, almost certainly older than we were told - which would have made him 12.

Time for that evening walk. Back later.  Thank you to everyone who commented and left stars and hearts for the redwing and the hawthorn berry. Not only can a bird swallow such disproportionately large food items, but it has a huge capacity for gorging them that it's amazing it can still fly.