So what did you get upto this weekend?

[Rainbowmum]

Anyone get out there and enjoy the fresh (gettin bloomin cold) air of early winter this weekend?
Me I'm afraid the weekend passed in a blur of delivering daughters to dance clases - Saturday and dance exams today. I had planned a quick Fungi walk today but the hours just slipped away. I'm going to try again later on in the week.
My highlight was probably Saturday night. Me and a couple of friends gate-crashed a charity do and didn't get home till nearly 2am and when I did I found my two eldest waiting up and playing catch with a juggling ball!!!!!!! Never quiet here

[honeybee]

Had a weekend off work intending to do some decorating and then have a few shandies. Ended up having a stomach bug Friday night through Saturday, still feel a bit rough. Had to go out this morning checking Mink traps. Caught a rat down in the ditch which was trying to bite me while I was up to my thighs in mud (had waders on). Did see a kingfisher though which brightened day up.

[Rainbowmum]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Had to go out this morning checking Mink traps.

Ooh why do you trap them? what do you do if you get one? Are they traps that kill?

[Paul mabbott]

It's the lemonade - never touch it is my advice!
It's a funny time of year, isn't it? Nothing much to see if you're not into birds, the weather a bit iffy and, of course, they messed around with the clocks so your planning doesn't seem to work out ...
We always like to get a good walk in over the weekend but last week (because of the clock change) almost ended up on the dark peak in the dark! We do various household things at the weekend and, as the solstice approaches, have to do a lot of shopping - so into the city yesterday where there was a 'green and craft' fair as well as a continental market. So everyone gets a garlic crusher and CD of Italian folk songs this year.
But did manage to get a walk in - too late in the day, as it happens, getting dark again before we got home. Fortunately this wasn't a life-threatening thing as walks on the moors can be. Found a bit of the round Sheffield walk nearby .... must do it all one day .... and did four or five miles of it. Saw enormous numbers of grey squirrels but generally just pleasant shades of autumn woodland .... must rest the legs now!

Originally Posted by honeybee

Had a weekend off work intending to do some decorating and then have a few shandies. Ended up having a stomach bug Friday night through Saturday, still feel a bit rough. Had to go out this morning checking Mink traps. Caught a rat down in the ditch which was trying to bite me while I was up to my thighs in mud (had waders on). Did see a kingfisher though which brightened day up.

[Susie]

Packing .. shopping ... packing .. more packing ... meh!

The only good thing was the goldcrests are singing in my garden again.

[Rainbowmum]

Originally Posted by Susie

Packing .. shopping ... packing .. more packing ... meh!

The only good thing was the goldcrests are singing in my garden again.

You going somewhere Susie?

[cherrybee]

Well Saturday my friend Jackie picked up Beryl and I and we went to Bowling Green Marsh Topsham Devon.We had a lovely time as on the marshes we saw Canada geese Widgeon Moorhen Shoveler Greylag Black-tailed Godwit and in the lane by the hide blue tit great tit blackbird then walked to the end of the lane to Goats walk which takes you into the lovely town of Topsham with its quaint narrow roads and cottages right on the banks of the Exe.There we saw several Cormorants on some kind of platform.Then walked to the quay and went into the Lighter Inn on the quay and had a lovely warming cup of coffee before going back to the car parked near the hide.It was feeling pretty chilly by then but a lovely day enjoyed by all

[speckled wood]

Originally Posted by cherrybee

Well Saturday my friend Jackie picked up Beryl and I and we went to Bowling Green Marsh Topsham Devon.We had a lovely time as on the marshes we saw Canada geese Widgeon Moorhen Shoveler Greylag Black-tailed Godwit and in the lane by the hide blue tit great tit blackbird then walked to the end of the lane to Goats walk which takes you into the lovely town of Topsham with its quaint narrow roads and cottages right on the banks of the Exe.There we saw several Cormorants on some kind of platform.Then walked to the quay and went into the Lighter Inn on the quay and had a lovely warming cup of coffee before going back to the car parked near the hide.It was feeling pretty chilly by then but a lovely day enjoyed by all

Just been to look at the pictures .... I could almost hear those canada geese honking!

[Flora]

I've just gone and booked next year's holiday! As we will have been married 30 years next August we wanted to do something different so we're going on a cruise to Iceland, Greenland and Faroe Islands!Now I have to work out how to pay for it!!!

[Ollie]

Nothing more exciting than work all weekend for me. However my chance comes tomorrow (Monday) when I shall be able to spend the full day outdoors with the camera, weather permitting of course.
Roger

[badgerwatcher]

This weekend, I decided I must meet my Badgers, so, dressed glamorously in my black silk balaclava and black cloak, I sat in a garden chair outside my back door with camera, and waited. It was very cold. It certainly is autumnal now! After a while, I heard a noise. I had never realised, in my up-to-now nonexistant experience of Badgers, how noisy they are. Down the slope from the top garden, sounding like a clockwork toy, came a chuntering, peanut-munching Badger, round to the top of the step that leads to my back door, and maybe a yard and a half to two yards away from me. I was shaking with excitement. He was so beautiful! I took his photograph, no flash or zoom. I don't want to use flash on them. It seems intrusive. He gave me a look as if you say, 'you promised me you wouldn't do that!' and turned round and went trundling back up the slope. (The picture was a bit blurred, due to the trembling.) Later, I walked quietly round from the front door to peer round the side of the house, and there were three of them, outside my back door and under the dining room window, burrowing around. Again, what a racket! Rhythmic chewing and crunching. They hurried off, so I'm going to leave them alone now, but I'm so pleased I've met them! One of the highlights of my life!
I've also been standing around, wearing lots of layers, during the day in various parts of the garden, just observing, and wishing we'd moved in earlier in the year when it was warmer. But the birds are not bothered by me, great spotted woodpecker very nonchalant, and goldfinches and greenfinches, who have now arrived in great numbers, giving it large on the niger feeders. This is very thrilling to me, after so long with just a concrete square for a back garden. A good weekend! And my middle son, who is solitary, and never visits called round to see the new house, so my cup runneth over.

[Garden Carpet]

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

This weekend, I decided I must meet my Badgers, so, dressed glamorously in my black silk balaclava and black cloak, I sat in a garden chair outside my back door with camera, and waited. It was very cold. It certainly is autumnal now! After a while, I heard a noise. I had never realised, in my up-to-now nonexistant experience of Badgers, how noisy they are. Down the slope from the top garden, sounding like a clockwork toy, came a chuntering, peanut-munching Badger, round to the top of the step that leads to my back door, and maybe a yard and a half to two yards away from me. I was shaking with excitement. He was so beautiful! I took his photograph, no flash or zoom. I don't want to use flash on them. It seems intrusive. He gave me a look as if you say, 'you promised me you wouldn't do that!' and turned round and went trundling back up the slope. (The picture was a bit blurred, due to the trembling.) Later, I walked quietly round from the front door to peer round the side of the house, and there were three of them, outside my back door and under the dining room window, burrowing around. Again, what a racket! Rhythmic chewing and crunching. They hurried off, so I'm going to leave them alone now, but I'm so pleased I've met them! One of the highlights of my life!
I've also been standing around, wearing lots of layers, during the day in various parts of the garden, just observing, and wishing we'd moved in earlier in the year when it was warmer. But the birds are not bothered by me, great spotted woodpecker very nonchalant, and goldfinches and greenfinches, who have now arrived in great numbers, giving it large on the niger feeders. This is very thrilling to me, after so long with just a concrete square for a back garden. A good weekend! And my middle son, who is solitary, and never visits called round to see the new house, so my cup runneth over.

Badgerwatcher, I am so envious of you and your Badgers... and your whole garden to be truthful. It sounds a veritable paradise for wildlife.. and badgerwatchers! I have never seen a Badger in the UK. I did once see something in the south of france about Badger size and dark in colour but it was just too far away to get a good ID. I dont even know if they have em!. I do enjoy your posts on your adventures in your new garden. Please keep posting.
jaki

[Paul mabbott]

Not the average weekend then .... makes everyone else's sound seriously boring ... I've only once seen Badgers in the garden, one wintery night, and it is thrilling .... never mind the pictures, it's your experience which is important

[quote=badgerwatcher;70484]This weekend, I decided I must meet my Badgers, so, dressed glamorously in my black silk balaclava and black cloak, I sat in a garden chair outside my back door with camera, ................ He was so beautiful! I took his photograph, no flash or zoom. I don't want to use flash on them. It seems intrusive. He gave me a look as if you say, 'you promised me you wouldn't do that!' and turned round and went trundling back up the slope. (The picture was a bit blurred, due to the trembling.) Later, I walked quietly round from the front door to peer round the side of the house, and there were three of them, outside my back door and under the dining room window, burrowing around. Again, what a racket! Rhythmic chewing and crunching. They hurried off, so I'm going to leave them alone now, but I'm so pleased I've met them! One of the highlights of my life!
QUOTE]

[Susie]

Wow, Badgerwatcher, I loved reading your post. Your experience sounded wonderful! Please let us know when you see them again.

Hi Rainbowmum, I am moving house in a few weeks.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Rainbowmum

Ooh why do you trap them? what do you do if you get one? Are they traps that kill?

Hi, because they kill everything in sight! They're not native. The nature reserve has introduced Water Voles so we need to protect them. Only caught 2 so far(Mink). Afraid they do get killed, nothing else you can do with them. They don't keep well in captivity, too wild (where the problem orignates from-fur farms/escapees and releases) and they can't be released anywhere here. Ratty got released though, after making a great deal of fuss he didn't run off, sniffed our boots instead! The traps just hold them.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Stealthy doom floats up on mink

[honeybee]

[quote=Paul mabbott;70446]It's the lemonade - never touch it is my advice!


I wish it was! Don't really drink anymore so was looking forward for going out for one!

[badgerwatcher]

Thank you Jaki, Paul and Susie,
I have been worrying that people will be thinking, 'I wish she'd stop going on about the Badgers in her garden,' but I'm so thrilled. It's the main reason I joined this site, as I suppose with everyone here, to find like-minded people that I can share it all with, and get tips on things I encounter that I don't know how to deal with. I am trying seriously hard not to become a Badger-bore! I'm pleased you enjoy my posts. My experience of nature watching is quite limited, as no-one quite shared my enthusiasm when I was young. I used to drag my three sons on ten-mile walks when they were barely past toddling age, (my exhusband wasn't interested), just one small woman, three small boys, a large bag of picnic food, and a map. We used to find all sorts of stuff, but had no-one to point things out or explain things, no binoculars, and no money, but we had good times. Now I am with a partner who is a keen bird-watcher, and as pleased with this house as I am, also my youngest son lives with us, and he is getting really into it.
You've got firecrests, Susie. How gorgeous! I've seldom seen those. Are you moving to somewhere with a good garden?

[Susie]

I love hearing about your Badgers, you carry on! If people start getting fed up (which I doubt) you are welcome to pm or email me with your adventures.

There is a thread in the gardening section about my garden-to-be.

The goldcrests are beautiful little birds and I am lucky to have them in the conifer at the end of my garden. They disappeared for a while so it is good to see them back.

[Garden Carpet]

Badgerwatcher, keep on posting, you make it sound so good. I cant wait to read the next installment... perhaps you should serialise it Anyone who doesnt want to read it wont.. and those that do will let you know how much we enjoy it
jak

[badgerwatcher]

Thank you both very much. I'll go and look at your garden thread, Susie. I'll also keep an eye on my conifer. I'd love goldcrests! I'm keeping a diary, Jaki, and it may become a novel at some point, as I'm a professional writer, childrens poetry mainly, but I write other stuff too. The diary feels like the beginnings of a novel at the moment, sort of Born Free but not as dangerous! There is an air of unpredictability about this place.....

[Paul mabbott]

Goldcrests are not that uncommon but being so tiny and so shy they're probably overlooked. They prefer conifers but I've also seen them feeding on eucalypts (no idea what they were eating) ... keep looking, and kee pwriting!

Originally Posted by badgerwatcher

Thank you both very much. I'll go and look at your garden thread, Susie. I'll also keep an eye on my conifer. I'd love goldcrests! I'm keeping a diary, Jaki, and it may become a novel at some point, as I'm a professional writer, childrens poetry mainly, but I write other stuff too. The diary feels like the beginnings of a novel at the moment, sort of Born Free but not as dangerous! There is an air of unpredictability about this place.....

[badgerwatcher]

I've only ever caught fleeting glimpses of goldcrests, Paul. I think I'm just not quick enough, although last winter I spotted a couple because the shrubbery they were in was snow-sprinkled, so they showed up really well. I miss so many birds because I'm not expecting them, and have been with so many people who have made great sightings, while I'm still going 'Where?', Bearded tits being one example, Great Egret another. I see them in the distance flying away, when they could be anything!

[Garden Carpet]

Swap you two goldfinch for your goldcrest, and the cat from over the back for your Badgers!! never seen either!!
jaki