Well we are still doing loops around Tiptree, yesterday was about 20miles. But today as the forecast was bad for this morning we decided to go for a walk in the afternoon, on our way back through Messing we stopped at the graveyard and noticed a very pretty pheasant the other side of the fence, it came closer and we talked to it and every time it answered or that’s what it appeared to do. As we left we jokingly say it will be like the cats that sometimes try to follow you home! Well the next thing it was running along in the field beside us, the next thing it was in the road and luckily we had walking boots on as it started to attacking, I have never seen anything like it, we just could not get away!  After a while a car came passed and we managed to get that between us and the bird, at the same time a couple walking the other way made a comment about what a handsome bird, we said it will have you if you’re not carful, they laughed at us and walked on. We managed to get a short distance away and turned to see it running after them, at a point where they were going out of sight around a corner it must have arrived as we could just see above the hedges these people jumping about waving arms and shouting. I thought I was a country lad but being seen off by a pheasant from hell takes some beating, tomorrow I am going back with my 12 bore.

One of the Tiptree Velo riders said she met a woman in Messing a while ago that had been chased for over half a mile by presumably the same one. Must be one that people have been feeding and if you don’t have any food it gets unpleasant or unpleasant. My parents like most kept chickens and we had several cockerels that would draw blood and had to have a sheet thrown over them before anyone could get into the run, but a pheasant?

When asked “do you have a photo of the accused”? 

Not joking but a photo was the last thing on our minds at the time! It just seemed so sweet when we were talking to it in the graveyard it kept making pheasant type noises in reply and watching us then when we walked away it changed. 

Will probably have a look tomorrow but I can’t see it will last for long we were trying not to do it any harm but I am sure others won’t feel the same, especially as it was near the school it could start on some of the children?

Yep it was a like this though maybe not that fat. Don’t know I was running and it would NOT leave me alone. It followed me all the way along the triangle bottom and then reappeared when I turned round. Bloody thing. I nearly fell over twice

One of the Tiptree lot that is also a runner met it yesterday, we went through Messing a few times but were unable to find it!

Maybe we should organise a 40 Plus pheasant hunt?