Tag: badgers

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We have had a few problems with the Photo page…

We have had a few problems with the Photo page, Forum and Diary that needed the servers to be changed. In changing over to the new server some entries have been lost. Last night I thought that the loss may have been worse than it was. The Forum and Diary has become good references that I regularly go back to check the date of things that have happened in previous years. It could be that what seems to have been lost maybe in different files and can be found over the next few days.

Tomorrow I will restart the Photo page and put on the photograph of Thornton, as requested by Elaine.

We are going to try to feed the Badgers earlier tomorrow. I should think that it will be about 8.35pm. Part of the reason is so that our Holiday Guests are able to see the Badgers from the hide. It looks as if the area that the Badgers feed from is well lite. It is not, to the human eye it is as black as the ace of spades, it is only the infra-red lamps that make it possible for the cameras to see the Badger.

Speaking about the Badgers, one Family of this weeks Holiday Guests had the Husband drive here without telling him where he was going. I met them when they arrived and I must admit that he did look a bit surprised. He soon bucked up when he knew that he would be able to see the Badgers live, for he has been a Badger enthusiast for most of his life.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page from…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page from number eleven. All from CH.

Five pictures taken on a walk between Kidlington and Oxford along the Oxford Canal. CH.

The Kingfishers doesent seem to be using the branch in the Lake as much as they did last year. I have caught them on the webcam a couple of times, and was fortunate to have seen one of them diving to catch the fish. Last year they would perched on the branch nearly every day for long periods. When I have walked around the lake I often see them darting about and seen one landing on the plant on the Island. We have put a new branch near to where I had seen one land in the hope that it would use the new branches, As of yet we have not had any luck. I spoke to Peter at the Lock yesterday, and I mentioned not seeing the Kingfishers as much this year. Peter suggested a trick that photographers use when they are photographing Kingfishers. They put Fish into a bucket and put it into the water by a branch with just a little of the bucket above water so as the Fish don’t escape. The idea is that the Kingfisher will catch from the bucket. I asked one of this weeks Fishing Holiday Guests that when he is fishing will he try to catch a few small Fish with a net that I have given him. He is as keen to see the Kingfisher as much as we are. Only trouble is that the small Fish are not very easy to catch.

I am sure that a lot of you have seen the Fox that is frightening the Badgers away from the food most nights. I cant believe that the Badgers are allowing the Fox to get away with it. Usually the Badger is well capable to see the Fox off. After the Fox has frightened the Badgers off they are not returning for the food. Last night I went back up to the feeding site in the hope that I would frighten it off for the night, no sooner that I got back to the Farm House he was out again. He had on an hid somewhere in the bushes when he heard me coming.

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Starting from number eleven there are five new photographs on…

Starting from number eleven there are five new photographs on the Photo page.

Giant echiums growing in my garden here in Cornwall. My brother has recommended your website and you’ve shown some of his photos, so I thought I’d send in a few pictures to keep up with him. Sue.

Badgers taken whilst holidaying at Denbury. Vicky.

Rufford taken when I went with school. View across the lake, in the distance you can see a bridge which we crossed. Elaine.

Yesterday evening, we had a few birds visiting the feeders and seeds on the patio. I started to take photos of the Coal Tit (I think), when I heard a beautiful sound. Julia.

One of the Gosling were taken last night. I taken bread down to the Lake just after 9.30pm to feed them just after I had fed the Badgers. I was thinking to myself just how big that they were getting and being the size that they were they may just survive. Probably they were the biggest Goslings that we had ever had on the Lake. As I thought the other night they were showing the first signs of feathers coming through. What has taken this one, I again really don’t know. I am sure that if it were a Fox they would have heard it. Although when we went to the Lake yesterday afternoon with Tass and Kye, they picked up the scent of something by the gates that I have put up for their extra protection, but that was outside the area that we have made for the Geese. It could have been an Otter or Mink that took the Gosling on the water. There is nothing more that I can do to try to protect the Geese. Tonight we will walk around the Lake with Tass and Kye in the hope that their scent will deter any threat to the Goslings. What ever took the one last night will try again for another.

I hadn’t said anything about it before, but we have had a remote controlled Goose made. Although Donald was very good, the picture that the camera was sending out wasn’t very good. The Goose being larger has allowed a full size CCTV camera to be installed into the Gooses large body. Believe me it is large, even a little bigger than the Geese on the Lake. We have also been able to put a larger and a much better quality wireless connection into the Goose. Jack and his Friend have been made it and it will be back with me before the end of the week. By all accounts the picture quality is as good as the webcams installed. Donald has has had to be cannibalised to make the Goose. All of the equipment that has been used to make the Goose are bits that I have had hanging about doing nothing for a few years. The Goose would have cost in excess of

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We have been experiencing our broadband connection on Denbury Farm…

We have been experiencing our broadband connection on Denbury Farm Cam 1 & 2 going off intermittently, I will keep checking to make sure that they are on. If they do go off, they will be put back on very quickly.

Starting from number six there are five new photographs on the Photo page, all sent in by Anjela, Connecticut USA. There will be five from the other Angela tomorrow.

Squirrel.

House Finch.

Butterfly.

Woodpecker.

Baby Crow.

A number of you saw the large bird on the Lake and on the bank of the Lake yesterday. It was a Cormorant a Bird that you really don’t want on Lakes that have Fish. They tend to to be coastal birds, but are just as happy on inland waters where there are Fish. They are excellent divers and under water swimmers. And also very greedy. We tried for a long while to frighten the Bird off of the Lake, but it only went when it decided to. When it dived under water it came up as far as a 100 metre from were it went down. I was only saying to one of our Holiday guests the day before, that we have never seen a Cormorant on our Lakes. There are many Fishing Lake that are inundated with Cormorants a real nightmare. I should think that with the Gales that we had yesterday that it came inland. I hope so and hopes that it forgets its way to Denbury in future.

What some of you thought were rats on the webcam last night, were in fact Field Mice. As much as I hate to see them or Rats I do try to encourage the Field Mice, as they are the main food source for Owls. We let the small field that you see the badgers in to over grow and die back, It allows a thick base of dead grass under the growing grass, a good habitat for the Mice and Voles. We also do not let any livestock graze the field for the same reason. Also with the holes that the Badgers have dug it would be dangerous for animals to graze, as they could well break legs if there legs go down the holes.

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Sorry I have just got in fed the Badgers and…

Sorry I have just got in, fed the Badgers and I now need to answer some important emails. I will do the photographs and Diary tomorrow with a nice story about Thornton.

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There are five new photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number six. Getting very low on photographs.

A picture of Thornbury (I actually stayed for 2 nights here last year it’s brilliant and quite an experience!!) Bec.

LADYBOWER RESOVOIR WALL, VERY SPECTACULAR IF THE WATER IS COMING OVER THE TOP . LYNNE.

The second one was captured from one of my cameras last night (Sunday) The cat sure was curious as to what the hoggy is eating but not stupid enough to get too close. Liz ( North Yorkshire )

Photo of a nuthatch taken at Markeaton Park in Derby. Vicky.

Shelduck. This photograph was sent to me by Barry at Rye Harbour. It was sent for other reasons than the Photo page. I hope he does not mind.

With the amount of work that we seem somehow to be doing this spring I have not had a lot of time to look for nest site around the Farm. Because of the obscure places that the Birds other than the Swallows manage to find to nest, nest can be difficult to find. By accident this afternoon we found three in the main Barn. Two are in a haystack that we have started to use to feed the animals with. We will need to use the hay in the stack but we will now have to be very careful to make sure that we do not disturb any of the nests. I have positioned the Sheep camera on the hay stack where a Robin is going in and out to feed her chicks. The nest is about nine inches into the stack and I will try tomorrow to put a miniature camera close to the entrance. I wont promise that we will see much of the chicks, but we will do the best we can. At the other end of the stack is what looks as if it maybe a Wrens nest. We will watch to see if we are right when we are in the Barn. Also in the Barn roof but it is unfortunately to high for the camera, is a Blackbird nest.

Lindsay mentioned in her entry on the Forum last night that one of the Badgers was waiting for the feed before before I had time to turn around. For the past week it has been waiting very close to the path that I take to get to the Sett. It follows me just out of view of the webcams below the lower part of the webcam. I have been trying to stop it as I really don’t want pet Badgers, this one is becoming far to brave. Last year I managed to stop it.

I received the email below from Simon this morning. If all goes well we will get the webcam on the website quite quickly.

Hi, I have good news as I have been checking the nest several times and I was there yesterday putting the panel in place and running the wires down from the nest where the chick sits happily. The parents have been returning regularly so today I have to focus the camera, Gerry down in the house will tell me via the mobile while I am in the nest. I will be in the mountains all day so I will send you an email before I leave Gerry’s House at the end of the day and then you can check out the nest. Cheers Simon

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There are five more photographs on the Photo page starting…

There are five more photographs on the Photo page, starting from the sixth one down.

Mushrooms in Chatsworth last month
This is what Blossom could look like after a day on the beach when she grows up a bit !!!! Lynne.

The cow on this photo had all the traffic held up at the New Forest Hampshire, the cars in front of it had managed to get moving and then it decided to get in front of our car. I could not stop laughing. Elsie.

Pollperro when we were there earlier this year on holiday. Sue.

Hello Mr. Farmer. On last night’s forum I mentioned about an encounter with a wolf at the Bath and West Show in 2006 – well, here are some photos! here is a picture of a Sow with her piglets – I wish you could see the video, it’s comical!!!!.Julia.

p. penhaigon. This time of year we are fortunate to see any Badgers. Although Badgers do not hibernate, there is a period in the Winter when they sometimes do not come out for a few days, More so when it is wet or cold. I should think that there are still in the region of fourteen in the Sett, most I should think will come out to eat the easy picking that we put out, within feet of the Sett entrance.. Unless there is a cold or very wet spell I should think that they will seen a lot more early February.

What a change in the weather we had today from yesterday. It started off a little cold after a frosty night. The frost after the rain caused our car doors to freeze, so that we could not open them. We needed to run warm water around the door rubber before they would open. By 10.am it was so warm I was working without a coat. I made it a point to walk through the valley after I had finished mucking the Horses out. The stream was running a little fast, but nothing like it was last night. It was running so fast last night that it was flooding the valley field and over the bridge. The flood on the field had retreated and the bridge was clear. All through the valley on muddy areas there were fresh animal foot prints from the night before. I have walked the valley for nearly fifteen years, and it is different every time I walk it. There is light rain in the air, but we have been promised heavy rain over the next two days.

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There are three new photographs on the Photo page scroll…

There are three new photographs on the Photo page, scroll down the photo page starting with the Squirrel from Julia. This is one of seven photographs that Julia has emailed to me, I will put more of them on tomorrow. The two other are from Elsie.

Good afternoon, Mr.Farmer, I’ve been working at my computer today which is next to the patio doors – unfortunately I do tend to get distracted by looking out at the garden!!
This morning I was watching Blue Tits, Great Tits a Blackbird and a Robin taking it in turns to eat around the tree and the feeders.
A few minutes ago, just as I was about to eat my lunch, I looked out and saw what I think was a Fieldfare so I ran upstairs to try to get a few photos. With the sun setting the garden was beginning to fall into shadow, so I think the pictures look better taken from above. Picture number 51 is slightly seasonal – you can just make out the Mistletoe which is growing in the Crabapple Tree!
The squirrel posed for me a few weeks ago! Julia.

How about some flora for a change. Gardening is my hobby even though I can’t do it as well as I used to. Iam sure some of the ladies would like to see this photo.Elsie
Just had to let you see my wonderful dog Max. I love him to bits.Elsie

On Sunday and tonight I thought that I would be able to put the telescope webcams on. Even in the light, on both afternoons in the cloudless sky I could see the quarter Moon. As soon as it got dark the sky clouded over. This part of the Moons cycle is about the best time to see the Moons Craters. I will keep looking to see if the sky clears, if it does before 8.30pm I will get it going. I thought that I would have been able to focus on Mars by now. Our Wood tree line stop us seeing Mars until nearly 10.pm. I am definitely not in the mood to turn the telescope on at that time of night. In the New Year we should be able to see it a lot earlier.

We have nearly finished the stable area for Willow and Gypsy. We have only got to finish putting the gates on, and put the straw down, it will then be ready for them to use. As soon as I am sure Gypsy’s eyes are alright, we will wean Willow. Not a job we are looking forward to be doing, but it has got to be done.

That was Magic and I hope that you were as lucky as I was to see the two Stags in the valley. I first noticed them ten minute before I fed the Badgers. I wasn’t sure if I should feed them, as I have to walk towards the valley on my way. Fortunately the wind was blowing from the North so my scent would not be blown towards the Stags. It must have been the quietest that I had ever been, so as the Stags would not hear me. When I got back from feeding the Badgers I was pleased to see the Stags were still here, and even more so when they started to play fight. When the Rut finishes the Stags will go off on their own or in groups. I don’t know when they shed their Antlers, but I would like a set. We have a number of Hunt Shows in the area, where you can very often buy Antlers, some with the Stags scull, but I would only buy if I knew that they were a fallen set. The infra-red lamps didn’t do us any favours. The brightness caused the camera to go into colour mode, eliminating the infra-red lamps. Seeing the Stags tonight was the most special night that I have had on the webcams. And I remembered to press the record button.

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The Photo page has increased to 15 1 and 2…

The Photo page has increased to 15 1 and 2 the Butterflies. Scroll down to see the other today’s additions starting at Pats Poppy.

Mr. Farmer, attached are 2 photos of butterflies that I raise. The single butterfly is a Giant Swallowtail nectering on Pentas in my garden. The others are Monarchs that are nectering on various flowers. The Monarchs are inside a butterfly house that my husband and son built for me. I raise them from eggs, to caterpillars to butterflies. After the butterflies lay eggs inside of the butterfly house, I release them outside. The butterflies stay around my yard nectering on the flowers in the garden. I love the butterflies and it is a very fascinating hobby plus it helps populate the butterflies back in the wild. Karen, Florida, USA

Hi Mr. Farmer, Herewith a photo of our little Poppy lounging in one of her favourite places. It was taken three years ago. Poppy died, aged 15yrs. She was born feral in some one’s outhouse and a friend found out about the litter and asked if we wanted one of the kittens. We said we would love one and what a beauty she turned out to be, she was a Persian cross. She was a lovely pet and is sorely missed by my family and Busby & Penny (our other cat). Pat

THIS IS A PHOTO OF A SIGNET TAKEN IN MARKEATON PARK IN DERBY, VICKY, DERBY.

Canada Geese at Golden Acre Park near Leeds.
Elsie

Hi Mr. Farmer, Staying on the birds theme I attach a couple more. One of a beautiful pheasant which came up to us at Chatsworth House. The other I have to admit is not one that I took but it is so good I have to show everyone. It is of a male Sparrowhawk which was sent to me by a friend who lives in Scotland. Pat

It is going to be a short Diary tonight, as I have Ministry Farm paperwork to do. You would never believe the paperwork Farmers have to do. The amount of literature, mostly unimportant that we get every year must be using a rain forest in trees to produce.

I was contacted by a Lady last night, about the Badgers. The Lady hadn’t looked at the webcams for a while. On looking last night she couldn’t see any, and was concern if any thing had happened to them. They are a lot quieter this time of year. Badgers don’t hibernate, but will stay in their Setts, some times for many days in prolonged cold and very wet conditions. The Badger in our Sett don’t like heavy winds either. The Winter of the first year that we did the webcams, we had a longish period of time without seeing the Badgers. Since then we have seen them every day. Although they come out at different times in the Winter.

I phoned the previous owners of Eminent Lady our new Broodmare. She belonged to a Stud Farm that have a number of very good Stallion, one of them being Trans Island, the Sire that Eminent Lady is in Foal to. As I expected the Mare didn’t have a Stable name, she was known by her racing name. We cant call her Lady, so we have given her Emmi as her stable name. They told me that she like her food. The way I was told I think that they were suggesting she was greedy. Mind you I haven’t noticed that yet, if anything she is not eating her feed as I would expect. They also told me that the Foal is due on the 20th of February, nine weeks away. A lot early than I was told. As Horses can give birth a month early I will be watching from the middle of January. They also told me what the Foal is. You will have to wait and see. Cruel, yes why not.

The Foal wants to be friends with us, she is a bit nervous, but it wont take long for her to come around. Her eyes are a bit runny, it could be a cold, I will see how she is in a couple of days. If it persists I will get something from the Veterinary to treat it with. She does look a bit scruffy and sad. Most of that is caused because she has her winter coat. She wouldn’t have been rugged, so her coat will grow to help her keep warm. I am calling the Foal, her and she, I forgot that we had given her Gypsy as her stable name.

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There are two new photographs on the photo page The…

There are two new photographs on the photo page. The Ponies from the New Forest in Hampshire was emailed from Elsie and the Moorhen was sent in by Vicky from Derby.

Elaine and Sue, it did look a little like the Badgers were mating this evening, but they were actually playing. They must have been trying to grab hold of each others rear legs. I have got a long recording of a mating session that took place last year on the feeding place on camera one. It is on a hard disc that I have taken out of a CTV digital recorder. If I can get some one to put it on to a disc, I will show it on the the site. I have a new machine that is a lot easier to work than my last one. There is a few good recording on it, but it is finding time to download .

Robin I didn’t approve your forum entry on Sunday, as at the bottom of the page, in one of links that you gave, were links to a holiday site, that offered Holidays as we do. I am sure that you didn’t realise, and that you will understand. The other link was www.badgers.org.uk/badgerpages/eurasian-badger-64.html The link will take you to the Badger Trust for information on Badger, as Robin was giving in his forum entry.

I must admit the Badger Trust would not be my favorite organisation. In my opinion they do not use the best resources to portray the Badger. Anyone who watches our webcams are able to see the Badgers as they are. Playing as a family group is appealing. One picture is worth a thousand words, the Badger Trust don’t think so. We offered the Trust a link to our webcams to let more people see Badger in real life. They used the link for a few weeks to promote Badger Day a couple of years back. Removing the link immediately after. I am sure a link would have benefited the Badgers, and a reciprocal link would get more of our visitors linking to the Trusts site. Obviously the Trust didn’t think so.

Today we managed to get the most of the equipment up for the camera in the barn to watch the Sheep, hopefully when they are lambing. There is a little more work to do and we will show it on the site. We have decided t put up another pen next to the Sheep to Stable Willow when she is weaned. The new camera will also be able to see Willow and the new Foal. We are not going to wean her until next week when the new Filly Foal arrives. The new Foal that is coming is being weaned today. She will need the company as well as Willow.

Over the past two days the infra-red lamps to show the far end of the valley were installed. At the moment they are a bit of a disaster, just a very small bright areas in and around the trees. I hope that it is just a case of adjusting, although it could be that the beam is the wrong angle, that will mean having to get new lamps.

The aggravation the remote Duck is giving me, it wont be called Daffy or Donald. Its been called a few choice names that I couldn’t repeat as it is. If it sinks, Titanic would be appropriate.