Foxes and a badger

Down the garden again to check on the latrines, found the first one had been used again. On to the fence to check the wire netting, if this is the entry or exit point then there may be badger hairs caught on the fencing. There was just one, definitely a badger hair, this was the proof I needed.

At 6:00 p.m. I put out the fox food, and realised that the broccoli put out last night had gone, knowing the foxes have never eaten broccoli I guess it was the badger.

The light faded and no animals had yet appeared, we gave up watching so closely. Suddenly at 7:30 pm we heard the high pitched screaming of foxes, not once but several times, we went to the kitchen window and looked out, from the light shining through the lounge windows we saw two foxes and the unmistakable black and white striped head of a badger. At last! the badger who looked surprisingly small beside the foxes, was hoovering up the food and at the same time keeping the foxes at bay.

The foxes obviously hungry and expecting to eat, were trying to close in on the food, but unsuccessfully. Each time they neared the badger he ferociously dashed at them, warding them off and causing them to scream.

The badger stayed for twenty-eight minutes and then trundled off across the lawn, toward the greenhouse. Tomorrow we will spread the food further across the lawn, so both badger and foxes can enjoy it.

I was on the telephone at the time to our son in America, and he was able to share in our pleasure and excitement, which was a bonus for all three of us.

A second badger latrine

Arrived home today, Mike said to me, "Let's go and have a look at the lawn. While you were away something has been digging holes all over it". I went excitedly outside, I could hardly wait to see if there was any further evidence of badgers, could this be it? Although we hadn't seen one yet I was convinced there was one about.

Near the compost corner I found another hole had been dug, larger and deeper than the first --- a second latrine. The first one had also been used again.

Walking up toward the lane end of garden I was greeted by this rosebush covered in wonderful hips.

Sparrows, starlings and a barn owl

Home again after an enjoyable week in Yorkshire with our little family whose home is there. Sadly the journey up was marred by the number of dead badgers on the roadside.

I wish we had as many sparrows and starlings where we live as I saw in my daughters garden. One evening I was surprised and startled to see a barn owl flying alongside the car as we travelled back to my daughters as daylight was fading and dusk settling in.

Loss of a squirrel

Sad telephone call from Mike to say he found one of the squirrels dead on the lane, obviously hit by a passing vehicle.

At my insistence he went out and collected the body and left it in the garden for the foxes, it seemed such a waste for it to be left on the lane and be repeatedly run over, when it could nourish another animal.

Badger latrine and yellow daisies

This morning on checking the end of the garden I found a hole dug and faeces in it, I am convinced this is a badger latrine.

Excitement is great, but tomorrow I am off to Yorkshire to spend eight days with my daughter and granddaughters, so I shall have to be patient on the badger front until my return.

These glorious daisies are perennial, they are very free flowering over a long period. Many years ago a friend gave us a small clump, over the years they have multiplied and we too have spread them among other friends. They are much loved by bees while they are flowering and by goldfinches when they are in seed.

Badger footprints

Went down the garden to check the fencing and in doing so found what can only be badger footprints.

My excitement is growing!

A Visit to Oxfordshire

Enjoyable visit to my grandson Rick, his partner Juliet, and their new baby. They live in the middle of the Oxfordshire countryside and their garden is always a naturalist's delight. I found the fallen autumn apples very picturesque.

I also saw a baby hedgehog desperate for food wandering about in the late afternoon. I fed him a saucer of milk and some cat food.

Broken fence, ?badgers

Along one side of the garden, the boundary is formed from perennials and shrubs foxes and deer come and go through this boundary at leisure. The end of the garden has wooden post and rail fencing, covered by fine wire mesh. A few days ago I noticed a hole had been made low down in two places in the wire mesh, checking the next day one of the holes had been made considerably larger and plants nearby had been broken.

Having had the pleasure of watching foxes in the garden for many years, I knew it wasn't them who had made the holes, the only creature I thought could be responsible, was a badger. Something I have long wanted to do is to watch badgers, now I have a feeling this might at last happen.

Robins' Nest

Cutting back a large overgrown yew tree, we came upon this robins' nest with three cold eggs in it.

Garden Spider

I noticed this spider in the garden apparently hanging in the air, but on closer inspection I saw he was in his web patiently waiting for lunch.

If you look for them the garden is full of these spiders at this time of year.