Wildlife feeling the change of season

 


I pick up camera footage of badgers regularly, usually on their own trotting off to somewhere else. This  footage is unusual and shows 2 badgers in playful mood and I wonder if they are feeling the early stirrings of Spring.







Before Christmas I caught this cat leaping across the beck on camera:-





This took me by surprise. Although there are cottages over the road from the wood at one end and a farm at the other I have always seen Bel's Wood as a wild place. It looked like this cat was on an adventure. 





I have found that this one is a regular visitor and then turned up this footage.



I have seen hares on the land before although not for over a year now and I wondered if they were living on the other side of the deer fence. In the snow I saw a lot of footprints that are distinctively hare so I was delighted to get this really clear footage.

  



I think the one below is also a hare caught briefly on the other camera. The lolloping gait suggests it is a hare not a rabbit.



This slightly blurry still shows his long legs and face.


I also captured this rabbit in the same spot. He is posing more clearly for the camera:-



Both of these species threaten the newly planted trees which is why I have used tree guards for protection despite their ugly appearance. I wonder if they have been attracted by this new planting as I haven't seen either species for a while.



I enjoy seeing the foxes on the land. They look so healthy compared to the urban foxes I have lived alongside in the past.







I also captured the usual regulars:-



Although I only see one or two pheasants when I visit now that the breeding has stopped on the neighbouring land.


One day I hope to spy a red squirrel and have planted Scotts Pines hoping to attract them. There is work going on in neighbouring valleys to control grey squirrel numbers but not in the Gilpin Valley as far as I am aware.



I am sure we have more winter conditions to come but it was lovely spending time at the wood in the February sunshine hearing the coal tits calling with the buzz of a few flies in the air - no bumblebees yet but the queens will be emerging soon.












 























 

Comments

  1. MarkFebruary 9, 2024 at 3:15 PM

    What a marvellous bestiary!

    At least one of the birds has rumbled the cat…

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousFebruary 10, 2024 at 10:10 AM

      yes that's a blackbird sending out the warning I think....

      Delete

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