Meet the Birts ( or Badgers in my garden)

A few years ago I discovered we had night time visitors to the woods just next to our garden. When our dog rolled in something with a revolting smell I found that the local Badger population were using it as a toilet. I wanted to take photos and set up a makeshift hide between two trees. It wasn't very successful as there were millions of midges bitting your ankles as you lay on the ground in complete darkness. ( No street lights in this part of the country)
I heard that Badgers are particularly fond of peanuts so over a few nights I laid a trail of nuts from the wood across the lawn. Each night I brought it a wee bit closer to my front window. Eventually the Badgers would come to the window every night to feed. There seemed to be a family consisting two elderly ones and a couple of mature adults later they were joined by three young ones. My 8 year old Niece christened them The Birts. They visited regularly for about 18 months then timber operations disturbed their routine. There was no direct interference with their habitat as this was in a different area.
Many friends and neighbours came to watch them including our 88 year old Landlord who had never seem a live Badger before. Although they came very close to the house and didn't bother about slight noise or bright lights we made no attempt to tame them. They remained fully wild creatures.

In order to get these photos I built an imitation sett in front of the living room window.


A young Badger checks to see if all is ok



Sett under construction plus checking slave flashes



Sett in daylight



A few of the photos I got























There was a hollow full of peanuts under his nose



Although they no longer come to the garden I still know they are ok and I keep an eye on their sett.

ps As well as peanuts Badgers also love Dog biscuits covered in treacle and christmas cake.

Alfie

 

Great pictures Ace,surprising what you can do with a little patience.:thumb:

 

Lucky you, not only getting to see one live badger, but having a whole family come to your garden! :thumb::thumb:

Absolutely wonderful pics, Alfie, and thanks so much for sharing with us.

 

great pics ace well done getting them and having a lot of patience to sit and wait for them

 

Great photos. Thankyou for sharing them

 

great photos and thanks for sharing them.

I'd love for them to come visitng in my garden but I think they might lost with all the roundabouts in Milton Keynes.

 

You lucky so and so. Well done, and thank you for sharing your pictures with us.

 

Thanks for all the lovely comments, It was great fun having the Badgers come to the garden and I was very disappointed when they stopped coming.
Each one had their on personality and one of our favourite ones was one we chistened Granda Birt, he was very old looking with many scars and was pale grey in colour. One night after eating some food he must have had an itch and started to scratch ending up sitting on his bum using his front claws to scratch his tummy and sides just like an old lady after she takes her corsets off. Unfortunately I didn't get any photos of him as he stopped coming before I got things set up. I have had a look today and have found some of their tracks not too far from the house so I might try and set up a hide to see if I can get some more photos, this will have to be in the wood as I won't be allowed to dig up the garden again to make another imitation sett. (Peanuts Treacle and dog bicuits on the shopping list on tuesday) I found out about Badgers liking Treacle and dog biscuits from an article I read somewhere, they also love Raisens and Sultanas. The christmas cake is another story.

Checking if alls clear


All clear?


Yep


Lets go


What you looking at?


Wow food


Peanuts!


Yum



I think I may have a few more if I find them I'll post them

Alfie

 

Lovely Shots Ace, Thanks for sharing :thumb: