Sunday 2 March 2008

BADGERS


I just had to show you this. This rotting tree is in our copse, the inside has been scrapped out by badgers looking for grubs. Isn't it just amazing! I also hope you appreciate what it cost me to get this photo. I had to struggle through hawthorn, pyracantha, etc. My hair and jumper have been caught up with thorns and branches. I also have a scrape down my back where I got up and rubbed against the branch of a tree. I hope you think it was worth it?

11 comments:

Dawny P said...

I think it's a lovely picture Cheryl - sorry you got yourself all scraped and scratched, especially on Mothers Day!! Apart from that, I hope you had a nice day!!!

Richard and I were just looking at your beautiful photos - we still haven't really done much with his blog but we are getting there - and he reliably informs me that those black birds are rooks. He can't really tell from the picture but he said that rooks are found in groups and are sociable. They are about the same size as crows but they have what looks like a white patch above their beak - it looks bald but is in fact tiny white feathers. Crows on the other hand are found in pairs and are anti-social, nervous of people and quite shy. They are territorial and will fight with any other pair who invade their patch. We had 4 in our wood but they were 2 pairs having a set to!! So from the evidence ie 12 in your garden, it is undoubtedly rooks you have seen. His knowlegde of birds is truly amazing - he could put Bill Oddie to shame!! Hope that this helps xx

And bless Riley for pulling my name out of the hat. What a poppet - even if he doesn't look too impressed with the proceedings xxx

Mark said...

I don't know Cheryl the pain and effort you went through to get this picture, it was well worth it and I bet very satisfying to find such a thing, albeit a bit painful.
Hope you have recovered from your Brunch

Cheers Mark

Anonymous said...

It was well worth it Cheryl...you take some amazing pictures..Hope you had a great Mothers Day:)x

Mary said...

Good photo. I love moody skies but dislike wind. Never liked wind at all. Messes up my hair.

Mary said...

I think I just posted a comment on Moody Skies here. Oh, well.

Cheryl, I've lost my shoes in a photo hunt before. It's always worth it!

LOL!

beckie said...

It's amazing what we lengths we go to. How fun to see the badgers hole. Do you get to see him? Your skies look lie bad weather brewing. Hope not!

kate said...

Hi Cheryl,

It was definitely worth it - that is a great photograph. The badgers certainly do thorough work when they are in search of grubs.

Good work!

Cheryl said...

Hi Dawny...Mothers day was lovely Mich and family took me out for brunch and I had lovely gifts, including beautiful card, of course.

Thank Richard for his superb account on rooks and crows..I will now know which are in my garden. If I have any large birds in the garden that I am not sure of I will be on to you both. Thank you so much for your time, your very mind.

Hi Becky

No I have never seen them.....we do have the tell tale signs, like the clawing in the trunk, droppings of course, and they also play with small brances so you find they are moved around the garden. They do damage, but only minimal and as far as I am concerned it is an honour that they come.
Hope u r well.

Hi Mary
You always manage to make me smile, hair and lost shoes did it today. Tks for coming.
lol

Hi Mark
Yes just about recovered from brunch.I love my food.
Glad u like the photo albeit not a good one, but you can see those great claw marks.
Tks for popping by.

Hi Kate
Tks for visiting. Those badger claws are powerful, it is lovely to be able to see where they have worked.

Cheryl said...

Hi Terrie
Thanks for visiting.....great mothers day, hope u did to. I had a fab card.
Glad you liked photo.
lol

Dawny P said...

You're welcome Cheryl. Richard will not mind in the least if you ask him anything. He gets asked all the time and he does usually know the answer!! That's what comes of being a country boy and having your head stuck in bird and natural history books from the age of 7!! Glad you had a nice Mother's Day. We all went out for lunch, ate too much nice food and then did absolutely nothing for the rest of the day!! lol xx

Cheryl said...

That is good of Richard, I can see we will start a good friendship.
I to ate too much, but thats what celebrations are about!!!