Crackerjack has been getting so much attention, being center stage with the lambs all spring. Some of you have asked about Caitlyn, Crackerjack's counterpart and co-guardian of the flock. She's on assignment in the upper pasture with a flock of 40 yearlings and ewes. The group has the run of a 15 acre pasture rimmed by stone walls. There's a shaded lane that runs along the fence line and serves our access road for daily trips up the hill with water. The group has a southeast facing shelter that shades them and protects from prevailing winds and many trees for shelter. It's a lovely outpost with a 60 mile view of Mt. Monadnock.
My two llamas couldn't be more different. Catilyn is responsible for patrolling the fence line and staring down any canid that dares to approach the flock. We once tried casting her in the role of lamb nanny, and quickly found her unfit for lamb nannihood (which surprised us since we were told she had been an excellent mother). She really didn't care for lambs prancing about her legs (llamas can be really touchy about their legs) and I was concerned she might kick them.
Since then Catilyn has been re-assigned to guard the adults, though I suspect she is mainly looking out for herself, which by default also means she's looking out for the sheep. A former show llama, she is a complete diva. She came to us as 10 year old with no previous sheep contact and it took her a while to "adjust" to sheep company. I still think she is rather indifferent to the sheep and have seen her spit on any ewe who crowds her at the feeder. As a guardian she has a rather "lazy-faire" approach. I'll sometimes find her napping in the shed while the flock is spread about high on the hillside behind her.
Another difference between Caitlyn and Crackerjack is in their vocalizing. Crackerjack shows concern by humming softly (hmmmm, hmmmm, hmmmmm), and he'll do this out of concern whenver he senses we're about to perform sheep maintenance or alter the routine in some way. When he's majorly stressed the humming gets louder, more insistent and higher in pitch: HMMMMM, HMMMMM, HMMMMM, A-HMMMMM!
Caitlyn seldom hums but when she spies an "emergency" (like the neighbor's cows getting too close to our fence line, or a stray cat in the yard) she sounds the alert with a really weird bugle call that is unlike any other sound in nature, kind of like a cross between a wild turkey and a mastodon. We had never heard a llama bugle before Caitlyn came along. In fact the first time she bugled we couldn't figure out what was making the odd noise. The sheep have learned to heed her warnings and duck for cover.
Someone recently asked a very good question about why we don't keep our two llamas together. While that might make sense - Cracker could tend to the little ones while Caitlyn could keep watch for rogue cats -the scenario is problematic for several reasons. First of all, Caitlyn pushes Crackerjack around - which really bothers me. He's gentleman and doesn't deserve it. Secondly, if the llamas were together, they might tend to stick together forming a llama club, and spend less time with the sheep. Lone llamas do better as guardians, at least in theory.
Now you know a little more about Caitlyn. Would anyone care to start a fan club for her?
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I would love to be in Caitlyns fan club. Although she is different from Crackerjack I think she sounds like quite a girl and I would love to get to know her a little better.
Posted by: lynne papa | July 06, 2009 at 05:38 PM
Barbara, you answered my question about Crackerjack's 'llama-ness'--didn't know he had a co-worker over in the 15 acre plot. And yes, let's start a fan club for Caitlyn the diva. She's her own llama. Maybe one of your videos (which I love and am living vicariously through) could sometime capture the bugle sound that Caitlyn makes? I am learning so much.....
Diane L.
Posted by: Diane | July 06, 2009 at 06:42 PM
I think she at least deserves some sort of fan club, after all, she is doing her job, albeit with a diva attitude. Maybe she can get a tiara! :)
Does one of the sheep in the first photo have horns? Is that a Cormo? Just curious. Thanks for the updates. Hope you're enjoying the sunshine!
~Yep, one of our Cormos inherited horns from her Merino ancestors. I'm sure Caitlyn would love wearing a tiara!~
Posted by: Lori | July 06, 2009 at 06:55 PM
Love your recent stories about de-eweing the lambs and Caitlyn. Your descriptions are informative and entertaining. Of course, the pictures & videos are wonderful, too.
Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to tell us about the daily happenings.
Jody
Posted by: jody hamilton | July 06, 2009 at 07:43 PM
But of course the Diva deserves her own fan club. She is a beautiful girl!
Posted by: Yvonne | July 06, 2009 at 08:54 PM
Thanks for introducing us to Caitlyn. I'd like to join the Caitlyn fan club. Everyone (including llamas) are good at some things and not so good at others. It sounds like you've put Crackerjack and Caitlyn in the right jobs.
Posted by: Heather | July 06, 2009 at 09:03 PM
oh my what a beautiful girl and i appreciate the fact that she is a DIVA. i can relate to that being of the Ballet world. you bet i want to be a fan of hers....viva Caitlyn!!! please put all these stories in a book for us. there is nothing more interesting to read than your life on the big ranch. it looks like heaven! even her sheep are as beautiful as She is...i don't blame her for not adjusting to babies knocking around her legs. i always told my doggies, my feet, my feet, i have to dance with these. tee hee
Posted by: Jo Jensen | July 06, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Sure, she can have her own fan club, too. She does her job, just in a different way. You just had to find the right niche for her. (And her coat looks sublime, that helps, too.)
Thanks for sharing the beautiful bucolic photos of the pasture!
Posted by: Valerie | July 06, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Sounds like she doesn't need a fan club as much as royal subjects. LOLOL
Posted by: Lynda the Guppy | July 06, 2009 at 11:57 PM
Caitlyn is a regal girl; the diva factor is strong with her. I can't imagine she has ever allowed herself to be photographed with a sweetly goofy expression on her face like Crackerjack.
We have a couple of rogue llamas in our neighborhood that escape their pasture and wander (for days at a time), visiting unfenced yards. Dogs seem to know to leave them alone and bark only from a safe distance.
Posted by: Monica | July 07, 2009 at 09:25 AM
As the mother and mother-in-law of a couple of opera singers, I know all about divas, hee, hee! Sure, Caitlin deserves a fan club....the world needs its divas!
Posted by: Marcia | July 07, 2009 at 09:27 AM
She is beautiful even though she naps on the job! Great she's found her niche and protects the flock her way. I love how she blends in with the yearlings and ewes color-wise.
Posted by: Manise | July 07, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Caitlin represents all of us who feel as though we are royalty and don't understand why the rest of the world doesn't bend to our every whim.
Posted by: Rebecca | July 07, 2009 at 01:47 PM
While I enjoyed reading about Caitlin, I'm afraid I wouldn't want to join her fan club. Not into divas, although I read about plenty that may be willing to join....My heart belongs to Crackerjack.
Posted by: Debbie Bourque | July 08, 2009 at 09:12 AM
Queen Caitlin the Cantankerous- long may she reign!
~Perfect!~
Posted by: Tish | July 14, 2009 at 08:47 PM