I have been guarding my badgers and feeding them every night since I discovered them in my garden. I'm currently also charting the times and whether one or two show up together.
It was a pretty miserable wet night a couple of nights ago but one of the badgers appeared all wet and soggy. I'd have guessed Rosie but I have had trouble telling them apart. She wolfed the food down and was suddenly joined by the other badger, I thought Charlie. However, as I studied them I thought they looked the same size but males are meant to be larger. I was a bit mystified until something moved in the garden and there was badger number three!
When this badger came over after the other 2 had wandered into the garden it was obvious this was infact Charlie as he was definitely bigger.
So the tricky little critters have been alternating and coming in one by one or 2 at a time to confuse me! I have yet to capture all three together on film. However, I have caught several videos of the ones I thought were Charlie & Rosie but may have in fact sometimes been 2 girls! The word has obviously been spread that food is available and they're all coming to visit which is fantastic!
As I'm now pretty sure there's at least 2 girls and a boy so my fingers are again firmly crossed for the appearance of baby badgers next year!
Here's 2 having a lovely feed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RxPrgJTGoQ
I haven't posted for a while as I have been busy signing petitions and donating to causes.....why??? Because in the UK badgers - previously (quite rightly) a protected species are being culled.
The reason? They are accused of spreading bovine TB. There have been dozens and dozens of reports saying this is not the way to tackle the problem and even now into the cull (which was a miserable failure, with thankfully nowhere near the number of badgers killed as they were aiming for!) expert scientists are coming out to say it's definitely not the way to go - innoculation of the badgers or better still the cattle is the actual answer!
Sadly (and I have never openly criticised any government before) the government and it's ministers will not listen to scientific fact or the will of the people that elected them and call a halt to the madness. Owen Paterson the Environment Secretary has proved himself to be totally incompetent and said the failure of the cull was down to the badgers 'moving the goalposts' - really!??? The media had a field day with that comment and are now calling for him to resign - rightly so!
If this carries on badgers will become another statistic of an endangered species. What on earth goes on in the heads of these people?
As they wouldn't listen to the people, the people have been out showing support for the badgers by looking for injured ones and treating them or better still guarding badger setts and refusing to let anyone near them. These men & women are truly magnificent and deserve medals for working in all weathers.
I don't live in an area affected by the cull (so far!) so have tried to do my little bit by sending money to the groups that are helping and although it's only a drop in the ocean I do hope it helps. I had a lottery win of £100 and thought that it was meant to go to greater good so that got also donated to these lovely people.
Another hero of the hour turned out to be Queen guitarist, Brian May. He set up 'Team Badger' (https://www.facebook.com/TeamBadgerCoalition) and has been tirelessly condemning the cull and calling for people to support the people against it.
I can't believe we are meant to be a nation of animal lovers and we can shoot these beautiful creatures for no good reason, it's disgraceful. Once nature is destroyed you can't put it back.
http://www.smallholder.co.uk/news/10751867.Natural_England_scientist_says_badger_culls_should_be_scrapped_immediately/
http://focusingonwildlife.com/news/culls-risk-illegally-exterminating-badgers-animal-expert-warns/
Charlie and Rosie (the 2 regular badger visitors) are still showing up regular as clockwork every evening.
I always put out peanuts, that are wolfed up in minutes, and trying all sorts of other foods. The badger conservation people said they'd eat pretty much anything - unless it was spicy!
So far peanut butter on bread is ok, nectarines and peaches are popular, spinach, carrot and chicken cat food (expensive variety) are not eaten at all. I had a bit of cake left which was also gulped down, but weirdly meringue was eaten above all other food. It has to be an occasional treat though as, like humans, I'm sure they shouldn't eat it too often.
This is Charlie having dinner - and Sophie watching him, she's still fascinated by the badgers!
Charlie having dinner. Click here.
18th September 2013. I was in the kitchen a couple of nights ago when the outside sensor light was triggered. I thought it was probably a fox but better just check.
I looked outside and couldn't seen anything then suddenly a little face popped up over a plant pot. It was a badger! I couldn't believe my eyes. I tried to grab my camera but it was gone by the time I got back.
I immediately looked up information about badgers and what they liked to eat to try and lure it back. The next night I left peanuts and bread with peanut butter on and kept checking to see if it came back. I was worried that putting the outside light on would frighten it.
This was my log from 21st Sep: Mr (or Mrs) Badger definitely came back last night, ate all the sandwiches and the peanuts, had a teeny dig in the garden then went off again. So now it knows I leave a little snackie out they may well be tempted to visit whilst I'm awake so I can get a photo.
And 22nd Sep: Aggghhhhh this badger watching is more difficult than I thought. I think the Badger must have slid in on his tummy like an s.a.s. soldier last night. The light wasn't triggered but by the time I went to bed - after checking a load of times during the evening - suddenly the food was gone! I think I need a motion triggered camera to capture him.
Then 23rd Sep: Oh flipping Norah! Stupid Badger! I put fruit, nuts and sandwiches out last night about 7pm and after that every half hour (at least) I went to look and it was all still there. Then at 10.30 I went to feed Sophie and it had ALL gone - unbelievable, I think the badgers laughing at me.
But later on 23rd September I spotted the badger and discovered that infact the light didn't bother it so I could leave it on all the time!
Then on 24th September I was watching the badger when something moved in the corner and suddenly there were 2!
Amazing! They visit every night now around a similar time looking out for food as they know there's always something nice left out for them. I put a trail of peanuts right up to the door so that I can have a good look at them and they don't seem bothered at all.
It's thought (by the Badger conservation people) that one is male and one is female but it's hard to be absolutely sure. I hope they're right as I'd love to see baby badgers next year.
The one we think is female (and I have called Rosie) is a little piggy and eats everything. The one we think is male (and I have called Charlie) usually eats a few peanuts then goes to get Rosie and watches her whilst she eats the bread and fruit etc. If Rosie's left to her own devices and Charlie isn't around she definitely doesn't leave anything for him! Poor Charlie......
My Sophie loves the badgers, she races round the conservatory when they appear then goes back to watch them. It's strange as she doesn't do that with a fox or another cat.
I always had a vision of what I wanted in my bedroom. The room was painted in dark colours with a red carpet (see before picture below) and wasn't huge so I knew I wanted to change it to very light and restful colours.
I also liked the idea of a feature wall in pearl grey. Once I'd decided on white and grey I remembered I'd bought 2 white stags heads ages ago which would be perfect for the grey wall.
I then thought I'd probably have a chandelier as I have them in the rooms downstairs. Until I spotted the perfect lightshade in a homestyling magazine. It was white feathers!!
I had to have the shade! It came in large and small so I thought in for a penny etc - I'll go large! It was a Danish designer that was responsible for the fabulous shade and it was available in a large store so I thought it'd be easy to get - but no. It took about 2 months of chasing the flipping thing to get it - but I got there in the end. I did think it was a bit of a silly price for little more than a paper shade but it's so unusual and absolutely perfect in the room a bit of extravagance now and then is ok.
It's funny to see the reaction it gets - men just say 'oh yeh a shade' and women want to see it switched on and usually break out in a grin when they spot it. It makes me smile every time I see it and that's for sure!
So here's the bedroom after - I still want to tweak a few bits but it's almost there.
Last night I was in the kitchen and I noticed the security light had triggered, in itself very unusual, so I went to see why.
I thought it would probably be just be a fox that had set it off but I couldn't see anything. Suddenly something moved - it was a badger!!
I was so excited as I'd never seen one before, I rushed to get my camera but the badger had wandered off, most likely startled by the light. I am now going to keep a good eye out for the badgers and maybe leave them a little snack to try and encourage them back.
That actually explained what had most likely been digging up my garden recently - I had put it down to the foxes again as they're all I've seen big enough to dig that much. I discovered a total mess one day - the new bush that I'd planted for the birds was totally uprooted! It was also in the exact spot that I saw the badger last night - coming back to the scene of the crime!
Still to have badgers visiting is worth the occasional uprooted plant and apparently if they get fed they don't dig as much - so it's peanut butter sandwiches all round!
Well I did say I'd include some 'makes' here and now the house is starting to get sorted out I'm also starting to make some food as opposed to relying on ready made dishes. I'd much prefer to make everything from scratch but with the kitchen under a ton of d.i.y. items I could barely find a plate!
I started off with one of the simplest, idiot proof dishes I've ever come across - but totally delicious and really good for you! Fish pate!
Start with some smoked mackerel - I have found a honey flavoured one in Sainsburys which is lovely and a bit different. Remove the skin and flake the rest into small pieces. Mix the flakes of fish with some cream cheese - again I like to experiment with different ones, plain, smoked salmon or sweet chilli are current favourites. For 2 pieces of haddock I use 1/3 to 1/2 a tub. Then add between a dessert spoon to a tablespoon of ready made horseradish sauce, dependant upon how strong you like it. Finally add a little paprika and lemon juice to taste and Bob's your uncle!
Fastest thing ever and tastier than any shop bought pate. I usually eat it with some savoury biscuits or crackers but I also love it on toast. Mmmmmmm.....
