Crossing paths with a Badger

Most people can identify a Badger, though many will never have seen a live one in the wild. But whilst you may not see Mr Brock himself you might find your paths cross more often than you'd think.

Badger (Meles meles)
Photo: P.Trimming via Geograph

What does an Owl eat?

I noticed an Owl Pellet while checking my beehives after a stormy night. I've seen pellets here before and I know that an Owl, most likely a Barn Owl, likes to roost in the tree above the hives. An Owl can eat it's prey whole but can't digest all the tough parts like bone and fur so reguritates these in a pellet from it's throat. Out of curiosity, this time I picked up the pellet and took it home. Then followed a fascinating, if messy, experience! Click to read futher and to see some photographs

There's a mouse!

Miss Mouse paid a visit to our compost bin.

The Wood Mouse is one of the UK's most common mammals.  I think she was after the sweet chestnuts that had been swept up from the lawn.
Mouse is welcome to forage in the compost bin, she is not a nuisance there as she would be inside one of my beehives. Mice are secretive little creatures, and they need to be because they are important food for owls, foxes and other wild creatures. Predation from domestic cats is a problem for them too.

More information :
http://www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk/wildlife/mammals/mouse.aspx
http://www.recyclenow.com/reduce/home-composting

Good News for Red Squirrels

Red Squirrel by Paul Whippey

The Red Squirrel is the native squirrel of the British Isles, the American Grey Squirrel was only introduced in the 1870's. Sadly, the two kinds of squirrels do not co-exist and Britain's Red Squirrels have declined greatly in number, but there has been some good news in recent days..

A Grey Seal

The wild Cornish coast is home to Grey Seals, like this one, or perhaps it's a Selkie?