Date: 29th September 2020
Time: from 6:45 p.m.
Weather: dry, clear/cloudy, dark, 15°C
This was my first visit, morning or evening, since my last very successful evening visit on 15th September 2020 . Early starts before dinner are required now (Badgers feed first 😀) and with the clocks going back on 25th October 2020, this will become even more apparent as autumn progresses in to winter.
As I arrived at the top of Church Hill, a large pink/orange full Moon was shining in the southern sky. As the southern sky darkened, I again noticed Jupiter shining brightly with Saturn in close proximity but much less conspicuous. As I left to return home, I noticed another bright object in the eastern sky. Looking through my binoculars, the reddish colour suggested that this was Mars and this was confirmed by the Sky Map app on my phone.
When I arrived at the site, I scattered some chopped apple, peanuts and dog biscuits at the usual location where the Badgers emerge.
Before settling down to wait for the Badgers, I sat at my regular location where I could watch the grassy strip that runs parallel to Church Hill down to St. Nicholas Lane, a normally reliable area to see Red Foxes.
Between 6:55 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., I had 3 sightings of Red Foxes, the first a single animal and then shortly afterwards 2 animals together and then finally a single animal again, all of which I think were well grown cubs.
I was not very optimistic about seeing Badgers tonight. For the first time on my evening visits, St. Nicholas Church was open with lights on. Although there was no noise, I anticipated that at some point, people would emerge and disturb the Badgers. In addition, a noisy group of joggers ran up Church Hill and returned the same way some time later. Finally, there was a period when 2 young males were in the area talking and shouting loudly and listening to or watching music on their phones. It didn't feel like any of this was conducive to watching Badgers.
However, it did all eventually quieten down and at 7:55 p.m. the first Badger emerged. Judging by its size and the broad head, I think this was probably a boar (male). I was able to watch this animal continuously for 30 minutes as it gratefully munched its way through the “buffet” that I had left.
At 8:25 p.m., the Badger clearly panicked at something and bolted back in to the hedge. Moments later, a Red Fox (I think one of the cubs) appeared and started to enjoy the "buffet". However, the Badger quickly re-emerged and chased the Red Fox away and then resumed eating.
The Red Fox obviously had no intention of leaving the area and I saw a head peer from behind one of the cemetery headstones watching the Badger. The Red Fox moved cautiously back towards the food and there was a stand-off between it and the Badger. An uneasy tolerance then ensued for a few minutes where both animals fed together in close proximity to one another but then the Badger decided again that it would not share the “buffet” with the Red Fox. It was chased off and did not reappear.
The Badger continued to feed alone for a few more minutes but, as I had expected, it was then disturbed by people coming out of the church, locking up and walking back to their cars. The Badger returned to the hedge but the stomach cravings and the lure of the “buffet” were far too much to resist and it very quickly re-emerged again to continue feeding.
Eventually, the Badger must have concluded that it had eaten everything since it started to forage for any last scraps and in doing so it moved closer and closer to me until it was within about 10 feet. Finally, the Badger turned round and calmly walked back to the hedge.
Whilst watching the Badger, there was some noisy and excitable “geckering” of Red Fox cubs which I assumed were in the cemetery.
With regard to birds, I saw a Magpie and heard both a Jay and a Green Woodpecker as I walked up Church Hill at the start of my visit. I also heard several Robins both singing and alarm calling and saw a small group of flyover Carrion Crows.
As September ends, I am hoping that October evening visits will produce calling Tawny Owls (if they are resident in the area) and fly-over calling Redwings (as they arrive for the winter in the UK from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia).
Site totals to date:
Birds = 49
Mammals = 6
Butterflies = 21
Dragonflies and damselflies = 7
Reptiles = 1
Amphibians = 0
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