It was cold today. Sunny, but very cold with interspersed hail showers. I looked over toward the mountains and saw that true signal that winter is now here: icing sugar topped peaks. You can't see them very well on this photo, so you'll just have to take my word for it!
The changing season has also sparked change among the wildlife. The red squirrel, who comes to the tree outside my office window, is busy stashing the nuts that we leave in secret spots to tide him over in leaner times. Of course he'll forget where he hid half of them, but other animals may benefit when they stumble across them, and some may even become our future woodlands.
On the path today I found evidence that the badgers are still very active. They don't hibernate, but will spend more time holed up in their setts during the colder months. This track is from a very large male. Luckily I managed to take a picture before Fox put his big paws over the top!
5 comments:
Winter is definitely on it's way! Love the photo of the Badger footprints....I've always wanted to see a Badger in their natural habitat. Someday. :)
Are your UK badgers the same as our big, masked, foul-tempered beasts? I don't know if we have them here in Oregon, but I've encountered them on horseback in the Midwest - the charging, hissing things scare horses to death!
Hee hee, no our badgers aren't big scary horse hunting beasts! They're about the size of a corgi. They do have stripy masked faces though. They're great to watch so if anyone is ever in England and comes to visit I'll try to find you some :o)
Actually, they sound like the same critter, only I would say ours are the size of two corgis side by side and pressed down flat a little. But they are aggressive, and DO scare horses!
I believe you Michelle, I just had images of fierce badgers jumping out at folk! Actually they are in the same family as our badgers and ours can be very agressive. However, they've been persecuted for so many years over here that they are rather shy and retiring beasts... unless cornered!
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