Thursday 20th August - Failing miserably

I've been holding off updating this blog as tonight I have managed to film the badgers again. However, I'm still not spending time at the PC preparing it for uploading. The temptation to go and see the badgers "live" is just too great! I'm at a wedding tomorrow, so no badgers but thought I'd find time on Saturday to sort out the video. No such luck. In fact, Saturday night we've been invited to the Barn Owl Centre Staff and Helpers Barbeque. No time for video again!

Anyway, back to Thursday night. On my own I set off and spread the nuts around. Interestingly, on the way down I disturb a badger. It's only 21.00 and that's the earliest I've seen them out so far. No dogfood tonight, but I thought I'd try one of Vince's ideas. A couple of weeks ago, he suggested taking down a day old chick to see how the badgers reacted. They will eat meat and as there are lots of the chicks here (for feeding the birds) I thought I'd give it a go. Nuts down and a couple halves of day old chick (sorry, but they are dead already) into the feeding area. I settle down, with the camcorder, and wait. At about 21:25 a lone badger turns up and begins feeding. He feeds on the nuts and slowy works closer to the hide, and the chicks. Eventually he finds a piece of chick and sniffs it cautiously. Next second, he's turned and ran off! I wonder if it's the same one who turned it's nose up at the dogmeat. Is it possible to have vegetarian badgers, I wonder? Anyway a couple of minutes later, it's back. Again it approaches the chick and again, sniffs and runs away! It does this a third time to, but returns after each departure. Most odd!

Eventually, at about 22:00, it wanders off and I go back up to the farm, only seeing eye shine en route. I do a bit of work on the computers while I'm there and leave later than I should have done, especially with the wedding tomorrow!

The BoC has a busy day tomorrow, so I don't ask for the badgers to be fed, they have enough to do already. I'll go down on Saturday during the barbeque and see what happens.