Wednesday 16/9/09 - More guests tonight and my dad too.

I had arranged with my dad that he could come over to see the badgers tonight before some regulars at the Barn Owl Centre asked if they could come along. These guys sponsor one of the Barn Owls here. I thought that would be fine and, in rather less panic than last night, I arrive at the centre to find my guests already waiting for me. Introductions over, top up with nuts and a quick chat outlining what the plan is and guidelines on how to behave. They have read my guidelines and look like "professional" badger watchers! They ask about last night and I tell them we had a no show, apart from the one brief glimpse. They look slightly disappointed, but we set off for the hide in good spirits. I've never had two no shows in a row.

We arrive at the hide and the three visitors settle in as I put the food out.Desperate not to have another no show, I use just one light tonight in case the additional lighting I used put them off, although it hadn't affected them on Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Wind is still that North-Easterly, which blows from the hide into the feeding area. That fantastic sense of smell the badgers have concerns me somewhat. It is 20:00, we are quietly waiting in the hide. 20:15 comes, prime time for badgers of late, but nothing. 20:30, still nothing. At last, I see some movement out in the feeding area. Not a badger, though. A rabbit comes towards us. Not very exciting, but the first rabbit I’ve seen from the hide! I’m now getting a little uncomfortable and I’m not talking about the fact I’ve been kneeling for ages and can’t feel my feet! Not another no show, I hope.

20:50 now and from the main path in front of the hide, I can make out a stripey black and white head. Phew, a badger at last! He barely makes it into the feeding area, however, when he turns and disappears back into the night. There was no noise or movement from the hide; he must have smelt us. As 21:00 arrives, another badger from the path to the left this time. I point him out to the guests, but one cannot see as he is too far around to the left. Amazingly, this one too decides to disappear. My spirits are now rather low, to say the least. We've seen badgers, but not like I'm used to seeing them, up close and personal.

I'm about to call it a day when a third badger appears from the main path ahead. This one is working his way towards the hide, eating peanuts en route. Thankfully this one is feeding confidently and I soon have the torch on him too. He gets to within about six feet of the hide giving everyone a wonderful view. You can easily hear him eating and sniffing and even get the odd whiff of him as the breeze eddies around the hide. We've been watching him for about ten minutes when I suddenly get cramp in my toes! I have to move and, of course, spook the animal. Now the badger has gone, the conversation begins, albeit in whispers. They seem very pleased to have seen the badger and we decide to call it a night. I do see another badger on the way back up, but he runs off before the others see him.

Back at the farm and over a nice, hot cup of coffee, we talk about the evening. The guys are really happy to have seen a badger that close and they keep saying what a great night it's been. They can't believe how beautiful this animal was, just six or seven feet away from them. At last, I've shared a badger watching experience with someone outside of my family, a bit of money has come into the Barn Owl Centre and we all go home feeling happy at an evening well spent. Thanks, guys!

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