Cawdor villagers may see the back of noisy Percy the peacock
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A pesky peacock is ruffling a few feathers in Cawdor, members of the local community council have been told.
Although a much-loved local personality, Percy the peacock’s early morning wake-up calls are disturbing the sleep of residents and the handsome bird, who seems to be looking for a mate, is also causing problems for gardeners by digging up flower beds and leaving unwanted gifts for residents to clean up.
Gordon Robertson, former factor of Cawdor Estate, reported on Percy’s activities at this month’s meeting of Cawdor and West Nairnshire Community Council.
Although he is very popular with the customers at the village pub, owners Norman and Christine Sinclair of the Cawdor Tavern felt it was perhaps time to look after Percy’s interests and to sound out local opinion.
Mr Robertson, who also raised the issue of feral cats roaming the village, said Mr and Mrs Sinclair had found someone who would be happy to find a home for Percy.
Members agreed that if he could be rehomed and paired with a mate, it would be in Percy’s best interests.
Mrs Sinclair, who has run the pub for 26 years with her husband, said the bird appeared a few years ago but they don’t know where he came from.
“He wanders around the village and spends a lot of time in the grounds of the tavern,” she said. “He often sits up on a wall peering into the bar when we are open.
“Locals are very fond of him but everyone wants to look after his best interests and perhaps finding a mate and relocating him would be the right thing to do.
“As much as we enjoy his company, he seems to be causing some problems for residents with his early morning alarm call.”
Mrs Sinclair, who said they were looking forward to reopening soon, added they had a poultry supplier from Aberdeenshire who saw Percy on one of his visits and remarked that he looked very lonely.
“He told us he knew somebody who would give him a suitable home, and perhaps that’s the best option,” she added.
One community council member said Percy had a mate at one time, but she was a victim of an unwary motorist.
Mr Robertson said peacocks were better located on rural estates than in built-up communities.
“Things have really been brought to a head with the likelihood of Covid restrictions being lifted and we are expecting a mass influx of visitors, so the risk to Percy from traffic will increase markedly,” he said.
The community council are also going to investigate the possibility of rounding up the feral cats so they can be neutered.
They plan to tell locals when this will happen, so their pet moggie is not picked up.
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