It really had been a fantastic couple of nights for someone who loves wildlife like I do. I actually counted 16 badgers overall and I am sure that they are some of the ones from last year who have 'moved house'. even as I was walking away heads were popping out of the ground to see what was going on? A truly wonderful experience.
The Peanut butter well and truly discovered!
It wasn't long before the cubs emerged ,this time there were four ! A couple more adults also emerged and disapeared straight into the undergrowth. i can only imagine that they were going to the toilet- which is always well away from the sett but revisited each time.
The rain really brought the woods to life with the sound through the leaves and the wonderful smells it created on the trees and plants. It was a real pleasure to be there alone with nature.
I had sprinkled some peanuts again as well as a special treat some crunchy peanut butter that i had spread on the tree stumps. With their incredible sense of smell there would be no problem finding it. I next to no time there was a 'Badger Crowd' gathering! They must have been curious as to where the food treat had suddenly appeared from surely?
Night 2 - I had just arrived at the woods and taken up position in a hidden spot when the heavens opened. Luckily I was quiet sheltered under the trees and didn't get totally soaked.
It wasn't long before one of the adults emerged very cautiously from the sett.
Unfortunately the light was beginning to fade and I didn't want to repeat the experience last year when I got lost in the dark. But I looked forward to going back the following night for a proper watch.
One of the young cubs.
There were some great hiding places amongst the trees so I found a good position down wind and took up position. It wasn't long before there was action. It was wonderful to see three very young cubs accompanied by their mother. They were clearly desperate to get out from underground and have some fun. They were lovely to watch as they scurried around imitating their mother and teasing each other.
Night 1
It was a long overdue visit I made to the woods to see the Badgers this year. The setts I watched last year looked a bit overgrown and possibly abandoned. This is quite common with badgers so I wasn't totally surprised.
Nevertheless I scattered some of their favourite peanuts and hid myself amongst the trees and undergrowth and sat back and waited .. and waited ....
As I suspected there was no sign of any activity apart from a very noisy Woodpecker, a pair of Barn Owls calling each other and the ever present bahing of the sheep in the nearby meadow.
In the distance I spotted a badger and stalked it as quietly as a Church mouse. I just managed to see it disapear underground, and discovered a whole new area of setts!
