It’s so blimin cold!

I’d been hoping to get out and do a bit of walking and nature watching this Easter weekend, but today it was as much as I could do to run to the car, go to the butchers, come home and run indoors…. brerrrrrrrrrr!

However, you will be pleased to hear that the badgers turned up again last night. I don’t know why but I’d convinced myself they wouldn’t be coming back. Yes I know it was stupid and irrational but I am a woman and that’s what I thought.

So when I sat with my cup of tea this morning reviewing the night-video I began to grin when a stripy nose wandered into view followed by a “hovercraft” body. He/she stayed from 2.32am until 2.50am and then wandered off up the garden.

With both the badgers and foxes having their young at this time of the year it must be a strange time for them. A lot of readjustment of family relationships and hierarchy seems to be going on.

The foxes especially have been acting very strangely in the last week and I’m sure it’s got something to do with the vixen having her cubs, (I haven’t seen her around for a few days so I’m kind of assuming she has had them).

Not only is the dog fox around (the one I called Pepper) but at least one if not two younger foxes have appeared as well. They act very subserviently to Pepper. Lying on the ground upside-down as soon as he goes anywhere near them, whimpering and wagging their tails like puppies.

The video (and picture) above is of one of these youngsters last night, caught under the security-light. I’m wondering if these youngsters are a couple of last years cubs who are going to “help” feed the cubs as they get older.

At the moment the dog fox will be feeding the vixen (who will be confined to the birthing-den while the cubs are very young). As they get older and she is able to leave them the “helpers” will help to feed the cubs.

I’m looking forward to watching this behaviour and hopefully seeing some cubs in eight weeks time, when the warm spring weather comes! Dream on Jane… dream on!