[jameslindsay]

Went to bed lastnight and just as I was dozing off heard this noise (screeching) from out the back and thought it was a sick goat. Got dressed and went out the back dreading the worst but immediatley found all 6 of the "big" goats standing grouped together and very alert. The spot light came on with our movement and I saw something run away down the beer garden, now it may have been a rabbit or it may have been a fox. The goats were not for going in to their bed but stood looking in the same direction, ears pricked and alert. We stood very still for a while and eventually we heard this awful noise again and again but not on our land this time. Would it have been a fox looking for a mate? It is a horrible sound whatever it is.

[HappyHippy]

Yes James, it's the mating call of a dog fox - unnerving isn't it ? Hubby thinks it sounds like a woman (who me ?) screaming lol! I'm used to it now - hear it a LOT here. There's one call they do that sounds like a baby or child crying - I hate that one, even though I know it's just the fox and it's almost impossible that a child could be lost alone on my land, I always get a bit on edge.

[WinslowPorker]

James,

First time i heard that i was night fihing a really quiet rural lake in Oxfordshire. Unnerving isnt the word i make no excpetion that i was 5hitting myself until my mate in the morning told me what is was and then spent the rest of the weekend making the same silly noise and generally taking the pi55!!! 

[jameslindsay]

Thanks Karen and yes it is a spooky noise. It sounded very like the cry our sick Pygmy goat made a few months ago which is what caused the initial fear and panic and made us think one of the goats was ill.

[jameslindsay]

James,

First time i heard that i was night fihing a really quiet rural lake in Oxfordshire. Unnerving isnt the word i make no excpetion that i was 5hitting myself until my mate in the morning told me what is was and then spent the rest of the weekend making the same silly noise and generally taking the pi55!!! 

Not funny at the time though I bet.

[Hardfeather]

Foxes mate in the winter. It may have been a vixen calling, but have you thought about the possibility it may have been a big cat, as in panther? I would imagine your goats will see plenty of foxes and would be unlikely to display such an extreme reaction to one.

There is, it's said, a big cat around Glenrothes, Balbirnie Park has been the site of repeated sightings. Not so far from you.

We have a large black cat around here. It's been seen by quite a lot of people, including my wife.

[jameslindsay]

Foxes mate in the winter. It may have been a vixen calling, but have you thought about the possibility it may have been a big cat, as in panther? I would imagine your goats will see plenty of foxes and would be unlikely to display such an extreme reaction to one.

There is, it's said, a big cat around Glenrothes, Balbirnie Park has been the site of repeated sightings. Not so far from you.

We have a large black cat around here. It's been seen by quite a lot of people, including my wife.

Interesting. Just been told that there are 2 local guys swear they saw a "big cat" at Tentsmuir a while back...

[CameronS]

big cat around Glenrothes

It has been seen several times in the New Gilston to Peat Inn area, my various reliable sources. But the last sighting was bout 8months ago, when a dead sheep was found hanging in a tree, and wheelie bin were found with deep full length gouges out of them.