大象传媒

Tha sinn air ais air An Lot ann am f矛or cheann a Tuath Eilean Le貌dhais gus D貌mhnall MacSuain no 鈥淪weeny鈥� a leantainn tro 脿m breith nan uan is sinn a鈥� faighinn sealladh air beatha agus b脿s. Airson a鈥� chiad uair, tha na camarathan a鈥� fuireach c貌mhla ri Sweeny l脿 agus oidhche airson ceala-deug aig aon de na h-amannan as trainge.

An d猫idh geamhradh fliuch agus pr矛sean biadh nam beathaichean a鈥� dol suas, tha e riatanach gum bi 脿m breith nan uan soirbheachail do gach croitear sna h-eileanan. Tha caoraich 鈥淪weeny鈥� air a bhith air t矛r m貌r airson geamhrachadh agus gheibh e a-mach bho bhith sganadh an robh c霉isean soirbheachail leis an reithe. Coltach ris a鈥� mh貌r chuid de chroitearan, tha 鈥淪weeny鈥� a鈥� sganadh nan caorach le bhith a鈥� d猫anamh 鈥榰ltrasound鈥� gus am bi beachd aige co mheud uan a bhios air am breith. Tha e a鈥� ciallachadh gun urrainn dha d猫anamh cinnteach gu bheil an fheadhainn aig am bi c脿raidean agus tri霉irean air an toirt a-steach gus am faigh iad gu le貌r biadh.

Tha cunnartan an-c貌mhnaidh a鈥� nochdadh mun 脿m seo le iolairean a鈥� faighinn greim air na h-uain
agus tha 鈥淪weeny鈥� air c霉mhnant tr矛 bliadhna fhaighinn gus fiosrachadh a thoirt do Sgeama Riaghlaidh nan Iolairean Mara, le bhith a鈥� cumail s霉il gheur air na h-e貌in is a鈥� cl脿radh na tha e a鈥� faicinn dhiubh. Tha e airson a bhith mar ph脿irt de ch貌mhradh far an urrainn dhaibh fuasgladh a lorg
airson an t-suidheachaidh.

An uair a tha iad air ais air an eilean, tha na caoraich air an ullachadh airson 脿m breith, ach tha t貌rr uallaichean ann mun 脿m seo. Am tig aimsir nas fhe脿rr leis an t-Earrach, an e cunnart a bhios anns na h-iolairean mara do na h-uain air am breith air a鈥� mh貌intich agus croitean nas fhaide air falbh? Tha na camarathan airson na h-uain a鈥� cumail 鈥淪weeny鈥� a鈥� dol is e deiseil airson d猫iligeadh ri amannan 猫iginneach sam bith. 鈥橲 e 脿m s脿rachail a th鈥� ann, leis nach eil e furasta m貌ran cadail fhaighinn, is a鈥� mh貌r chuid de na h-uain a鈥� nochdadh mus 猫irich a鈥� ghrian.

We return to An Lot to experience the life-and-death drama of lambing with Donald Macsween, or 鈥楽weeny鈥� as he is best known, on his croft at the northerly tip of the Isle of Lewis. For the first time the cameras stay with Sweeny day and night, over a two-week lambing period.

Following a cold, wet winter and rising feed prices, a good lambing season has never been so vital for all island crofters. Sweeny鈥檚 sheep have been wintered on good hill pasture on the mainland and scanning will tell him if tupping has been a success. Like most crofters, Sweeny scans his sheep with ultrasound to know exactly how many lambs they鈥檙e expecting. It means he can make sure those expecting twins or triplets are taken inside to lamb and get enough to eat.

There are always dangers of eagles taking lambs at this time of year and Sweeny has secured a three-year contract to supply data to the Sea Eagle Management Scheme, monitoring them and collating sightings. He wants to be part of a conversation to find a solution for the situation.

Once home on the island, the sheep are made ready to lamb but there are many issues for concern during this fraught time. Will Spring bring better weather, will the sea eagles be a threat to lambs born out on the moor and outlying pastures? In at the lambing shed, the lamb-cams keep Sweeny on his toes, ready to deal with any emergencies. It is an exhausting time, sleep is rare and sporadic with most lambs born just before dawn.

In Gaelic with English subtitles.