Learning Lessons from the Badgers

Meanwhile back to the environment. As my regular reader will know I have been spending a lot of time out watching some of my local badgers. Concentrating upon two of the sett’s, I hope to learn more about their behaviour and habits first hand. This has entailed me keeping the frost company while the wind stabs at me robbing me of body heat. While I do take care to keep warm, as I have to remain fairly still, I don’t have the benefit of movement and exercise to maintain body temperature. Therefore, when heavy rain was forecast, I decided to suspend my observations. It was unlikely the badgers would be that active, and the chance of obtaining any meaningful observations would be diminished.

Therefore, today was the first time I had been out for the past two days. I decided to go and look at the entire seven sett’s that I know of in the local area. The wet conditions makes spotting activity easier and my assumptions that the badgers would not be that active in the rain was only partially correct. As with all animals hunger will drive the badgers out looking for food. Further, as a badgers diet is mainly worms, the wet conditions make it easier to find the worms they rely upon. So that’s a lesson that I have learnt and one I should have known.

However, I have learnt something new about badgers already. I had noticed that the badgers were collecting up a lot of bracken for bedding. At this time of year it could be assumed that they are preparing for winter. But I noticed this happening in the summer as well. It seems that the badgers are collecting it when its dry and storing it so that will have a supply of dry bedding even when the conditions are wet. With this hypostatise I was able to find at each of the seven sett’s what appears to be a dry bedding store. Therefore it does appear that the badgers are able to plan ahead and it doesn’t seem to be just one or two clever badgers that are doing this but all of the family groups.

While the overcast and dark conditions made it difficult for photography, I did get some pictures to illustrate the amount of water that has fallen. Further the river is filling up and still rising. There is no risk of floods, but it must make it difficult for the wildlife that uses the river. It was getting towards dusk when I got to the end of my circuit but I did spot where a dipper is choosing to roost. I did try and take a couple of pictures but there wasn’t enough light, but I hope to return, so watch this space.