Bimble, badgers, make shift windsheild, fox, hawk and chestnut tree. PICTURE HEAVY!

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Two days after the snow I revisited the ridge in the pictures shown in the initial post.

Most of the snow had gone and a wonderful mist filled the valley. I brewed up in the same spot and watched the mist lift with my son - wonderful.

I also discovered another sett that had seen some serious activity: -

I'd estimate that there is probably 3 or 4 cubic meters of freshly excavated soil with large pieces of stone in this pile.


Sorry for the late additions as I've just remembered to empty some memory cards from my camera.

Phil.

 

[JonnyP]

Your ears have grown a lot Phil.......

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Your ears have grown a lot Phil.......

And my nose is kind of wet

Phil.

 

[Silverback]

There will have been/will be loads of badger activity Jan/Feb as the sows will have been excavating in preparation for younguns and we have had a very mild winter so it is possible the first cubs could already have been born. Badgers mate all year round but there are normally two recognised periods of heightened activity - now and Aug/Sept when you will find long trails of cut hay and staw leading to the setts where the sows have dragged it to line the birthing chamber. This is fantastic to watch as they do it in reverse shuffling backwards dragging bundles of bedding between their front legs

Thats a nice dog Phil BTW - He has a cattle dog look about him with a hint of Akita - what is he?

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

There will have been/will be loads of badger activity Jan/Feb as the sows will have been excavating in preparation for younguns and we have had a very mild winter so it is possible the first cubs could already have been born. Badgers mate all year round but there are normally two recognised periods of heightened activity - now and Aug/Sept when you will find long trails of cut hay and staw leading to the setts where the sows have dragged it to line the birthing chamber. This is fantastic to watch as they do it in reverse shuffling backwards dragging bundles of bedding between their front legs

Thats a nice dog Phil BTW - He has a cattle dog look about him with a hint of Akita - what is he?

Hi Silverback,

Thanks for the added info on badgers :You_Rock_

As for the dog it's a Queensland Blue Heeler (Australian Cattle Dog). It's my Dad's dog and I was looking after her for the weekend. Wonderful breed, very loyal and quite fierce - she certainly doesn't like other dogs!

Cheers,

Phil.