I set the badger cam up again last night, hoping for some action overnight… something had definitely had a good root around whilst I was on holiday, but this morning’s footage only revealed mice, dunnocks and a robin munching the raisins, peanuts and sunflower seeds I had put out. A walk up the bridle path, though, revealed another fresh dropping. As advised by Jane (knowledgeable in such things!!) I sniffed it…… not a horrible smell like you might expect, but quite ‘fruity’ and not unpleasant. These dropping must be on the edges of territory, as usually badgers use latrines which I presume are near to their setts. I spent some time looking all around the bridle path and the field next to it. There were some older droppings further up on the field, where some soil has been dumped. At least I know they are active close to my home… they probably only occasionally come up into my garden…. I just hope that if I keep the cam on at night, I will eventually capture something… and when they realise there are some tasty morsels put out, they will visit more regularly.
The bridle path is a tangled overgrown hedgerow, full of blackberries and an increasing number of butterflies. Today, I saw large white, speckled wood, gatekeeper, peacock and commas along this stretch and on my Buddleia. At one point there were 7 peacocks on the Buddleia.
On the far side of the field which runs along side the bridle path, some soil has been dumped over the last month or so. Within this soil, there must have been loads of marigold seeds as there are loads, all flowering, along with poppies, rosebay willowherb, some oil seed rape and some ragwort, where I found the distinctive caterpillars of the cinnabar moth. This rather derelict corner was heaving with insect life! I will try to get over with my camera in the next few days if the weather remains clement!
Off to set up badger cam for the night….. fingers crossed for some news tomorrow!
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