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Jam Lady
Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 2541 Location: New Jersey, USA
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Posted: Tue Feb 13, 18 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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I know that weasels kill for the excitement of it, Gregotyn, but I wasn't aware of what badgers eat. So I went online. Wikipedia has this to say:
The diet of the Eurasian badger consists largely of earthworms (especially Lumbricus terrestris),[21] insects, grubs, and the eggs and young of ground-nesting birds. They also eat small mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds, as well as roots and fruit.[22] In Britain, they are the main predator of hedgehogs, which have demonstrably[23] lower populations in areas where badgers are numerous, so that hedgehog rescue societies do not release hedgehogs into known badger territories.[24] In some areas they are known to prey on lambs, and may bite a ewe defending her lamb, almost always leading to infection of the bite.[citation needed] They are occasional predators of domestic chickens,[25] and are able to break into enclosures that a fox cannot. In southern Spain, badgers feed to a significant degree on rabbits.[26]
We got over an inch of rain, and absurdly warm temperatures. Today clear skies and chillier temperatures.
Skunks don't tunnel, as far as I know, just dig a bit looking for grubs. Shan, cannot find the image I mentioned. Can picture it quite well - I'm sitting on a blue sofa, wearing a black / white / chestnut brown patterned vaguely Japanese kimono style bathrobe my sister made for me. Stinky is reared up on his hind legs, front paws on my legs, clearly asking to be lifted up to snuggle in my lap. But alas, I cannot scan a memory to share with you all. |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15863
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 18 7:44 am Post subject: |
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The weather here yesterday was awful again, so we went shopping as the gusty winds made it too dangerous for the woods. Local National Park shut again. We had plenty of rain with it too, so generally not a nice day. Today looks good, but I have to stay in for a parcel to be collected, so hope he isn't too late, so I can get up to the woods at least part of the day.
I think the peregrine falcon is back as we had two pigeons killed here yesterday. One hit the roof and fell down near the front door, so I have had the breasts out of that. The other I found when I was taking the remains of that pigeon down to the closed compost heap, but as the breast skin had been torn away, I have left that for the animals.
I didn't know badgers would kill for the sake of it Gregotyn. I know they will take anything they can, and wouldn't be surprised if they get into chicken runs as they can get through most barriers.
Snowdrops here are still in full bloom, and other flowers are coming on slowly. We have one tiny clump of primrose/polyanthus in the garden, but still only one celandine at a time in the woods. Temperature only about 5 deg C yesterday again, but supposed to be warming up over the next few days. |
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Shan
Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 9075 Location: South Wales
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cassandra
Joined: 27 Mar 2013 Posts: 1733 Location: Tasmania Australia
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 18 8:41 am Post subject: |
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What a cute puppy - I would be seriously tempted if I were within shouting distance!
This morning I feel I interrupted a conference down on the oval. Two groups of hares, each in a semi-circle facing a raven. Definitely a conspiracy afoot as they all fled when I arrived!
Driving has its challenges, but yes, Gregotyn, they do provide the vehicle. It is one of those city people versions of a four wheel drive with all sorts of bells and whistles. I discovered another today - it has a television that shows you what is behind you when you go into reverse. I had not noticed it before as I use the mirrors for such activities, but today when reverse parking into a tight spot, I paused, glanced down and found it. Unfortunately it does not actually show you how close you are (well it does, but it uses a red rectangle that approaches the car behind while the view stays quite a distance away). Luckily it also has a proximity alarm so I did manage to miss the car, but it was very very close, haha. And the chaos I had anticipated (due to the dithering of the boss) did happen. It didn't help that we had really wild weather today with torrential rain, strong winds, flying trees etc, so both of today's passengers were a touch late for their appointments and I did not have a pause to fill in the endless paperwork involved so had to do that once I returned to Oatlands. Still, I was home in time to watch Dr Who and then go clean the bank so not all is lost. |
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Shan
Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 9075 Location: South Wales
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15863
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Shan
Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 9075 Location: South Wales
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 18 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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I went on a badger hunt/dig when I was 6yo in Cornwall. A large sow and one baby were got out and put in a suitable bag. I realise now that they would not be humanely killed, but knew no different then-over 60 years ago. The surprising thing was that a Jack Russell dog managed to pull out such a large creature surprised me. Being small I was telling the farmers wife that it seemed cruel, but she said that it was not so good for her chickens when the badger had broken into the chicken house and killed 18 hens, only 2 were intact and another was ripped open but she sewed it up and the hen went on to lay eggs. But yes, they are mainly a nuisance in grassland, where they root for grubs and worms. I used to pass a sett with the dog but never saw any activity there. One night I saw a baby badger alongside the hedge whining and it was obviously lost. I went home and informed the badger protection lot in Shropshire, who told me it was not on their patch, a week later someone from there rang to ask how it was and I explained it could be collected, dead, in the field any time as it was in full view. Before this I had rung the Powys protection people who told me it was too far for them to come. Now I don't like badgers as they make holes in fences where sheep escape and so on, but the baby didn't ask to come into the world and I thought it should be given a chance even if I don't like the things. But when I see these folks speaking out and demonstrating for something that can cause so much unwanted killing in a hen house, I am not as sympathetic about badgers as perhaps I would be if they had at least done something for that abandoned and innocent cub. The argument for and against brucellosis being connected to badgers and cattle I don't find as convincing as it should be, but I haven't gone into it-perhaps because it doesn't affect me.
There is little or no question they are beautiful looking creatures, and I have watched them many times at night eating as a 'family' of youngsters and they eat and grunt together and good it is too, to see them. I haven't got any on my land but they would not be removed if they were there. I am a bit live and let live. Guess I would be annoyed if it was my hen house but that seems to be few and far between. |
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 18 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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We too have snow drops in abundance MR, and I forgot to mention it, they were out at the middle of January-very early for here, but little evidence of any thing else showing willing to appear. I have a 40th birthday party to go to next weekend, not sure what you give a 40yo man with a wife and 2 children.
I am seeing the picture of the puppy Shan, and wanting the Red Setter? who is acting as sleeping chaperone, so innocent and oblivious of all around-sigh-if only-I am too old, and setters have to walk miles! I had one when I was married, and a super dog she was-so obedient-won classes over Collies and Alsatians, but all down to my wife's tuition. But at home she was crazy; a real fun loving dog.
Our weather has not been too bad, 'nice' out all day, but cool and sunny.
My money is on the raven Cassandra.
I am glad they provide you with a vehicle to do the runs. I have a friend who records his trips around the place, all in case someone runs into him. I did point out that it could also be used against him. He pointed out it would not be shown in that case! You will get used to the modern car gadgets as time goes on. I still plod along without much technology on my car or at home, life is so much easier and cheaper that way. But watching television whilst going backwards to see how you are getting on, does it have bells and whistles that get louder as you approach anything in the way? |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15863
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Posted: Fri Feb 16, 18 7:52 am Post subject: |
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I am afraid I put the pigeon breasts in the stew, and even then husband complained they were a bit rich. I thought they tasted reasonably good.
There are not cows kept near us now Gregotyn, so the badgers are not a problem from that point of view, although there was a dairy herd until a few years ago, and I never heard of any problems. Sadly, I don't think the TB problem has been properly investigated. I am sure that there are other animals, like deer, that can spread TB at least as well as badgers, but all research I have heard of seems to be rather for or against badgers rather than a proper investigation.
Another day doing log sacks yesterday, and then another order came in, just as we were making headway. Somehow, however hard I work at them at the moment, we seem to have at least 50 on order.
We have dash cams on all our vehicles. Son started it as he has to drive along a busy section of motorway to work every day, and was so worried about the bad driving of some road users. Recently, a large stone came off a lorry and cracked his windscreen; luckily the windscreen is laminated rather than toughened, or it would have completely shattered. He had to have a new windscreen, and has sent a copy of the tape to the company the lorry that dropped the stone belongs to. He is still awaiting events, but is asking them to pay his windscreen excess, which I don't think is unreasonable. |
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cassandra
Joined: 27 Mar 2013 Posts: 1733 Location: Tasmania Australia
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Shan
Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 9075 Location: South Wales
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gregotyn
Joined: 24 Jun 2010 Posts: 2201 Location: Llanfyllin area
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Posted: Fri Feb 16, 18 3:07 pm Post subject: |
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MR., I would tell hubby to cook his own as he wants it-well that is as my ex would have played it, actually she did, but only once-I can't cook very well, and she knew it. I simply get by. There are those who live to eat and the others. Don't complain about the log orders, just think how much less by working you spend by not shopping, and how much more you have to spend when you have to shop, because of the log sales. Non logical I know, but that is how I say it when folks say 'a waste of time chopping wood for kindling'.
I wouldn't understand about dash cams, passed me by, I would probably wipe off the important bit if I had an accident, when trying to see what happened, I'd cleared the evidence!
I am pleased that Poppet has appeared to find your establishment suitable-everyone says that cats choose their 'owners', rather than the other way round. I would leave junior with her haven for a little while longer, so that she has the bolt hole on a 'just in case' basis. You however, are on the ground so to speak and will know best.
Shan, I wonder why so many people who have pets fail to get them neutered and then abandon them because of the offspring. Could it be that folks are too mean to do the right thing in the first place? If you can't afford to get an animal neutered how can you afford to keep it in the first place? I have always had my dogs put down before they got into too much pain. The last was worst as she was fine in the morning and was in trouble when I got home at lunch time and put down by the vet within the hour, with me in trauma! A shame the benefits office don't appreciate the benefit, companionship, an animal can give to people. |
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Shan
Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 9075 Location: South Wales
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15863
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Posted: Sat Feb 17, 18 7:51 am Post subject: |
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Nice that Poppet has got the hang of living with you. Perhaps you could have a box bed for her to retreat into when you get rid of the pen. Somewhere she can retreat from the world, but not so big she wants to stay in there all the time.
The pigeon breasts were nice in the stew, so I will make sure I get all the rest and husband can have the chicken. I am quite conservative in my tastes, but husband is far worse. It took me years to get him to eat spaghetti, and even now he prefers potato. I put that in cauliflower cheese to make a good meal, but he does have pasta with Bolognese sauce.
I think one trouble with people getting pets is that they don't find out all about them first. If you research them well, you will know what has to be done, what the problems are, and then might not buy it. I must admit that the kitten we got arrived rather suddenly, but that was my SILs fault as she had two and expected us to have one. It decided I was the person it had to impress if it was to stay, so worked hard at it.
Husband and son managed to do more log sacks yesterday, so husband and I have to deliver them today. We only delivered 20 there last week, but they were down to 4 on Thursday, so need more urgently. I went out with husband yesterday afternoon on a log load delivery so son could go home. He has had a nasty cold or something and now has a follow on cough, so we are giving him as much rest as possible. |
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