And some bonus mammals. But to start, here is today’s flower: lesser celandine, the hopeful splash of sunshine on our puddle-strewn roads. Or, as William Wordsworth put it: telling tales about the sun, when we’ve little warmth, or none.
This has been a long, wet winter. But as Facebook readers will know, things have become rather exciting in the garden. The foxes have a neighbour!
A badger – the first one documented in the garden in forty years! While badgers do not disperse from their families as readily as foxes, they will do so under some circumstances. He has a healing bite scar on his rump, evidence of a family squabble no doubt.
As for the foxes, their breeding season has ended and cubs will be born very soon. Here’s one expectant mother whom I did not expect to see again: ‘Pretty Face’, the grand old lady of the garden. Not only did she stun me with a sudden reappearance after a six month absence, but she is heavily pregnant.
She is very small, but she is a survivor, and she is strong. The younger foxes who have moved into the garden in her absence are rapidly learning that she expects to be in charge.
I hope that her cubs inherit her irrepressible spirit.
A Walk with Wildlife 
Your photos are simply beautiful, Adele.
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Thank you 🙂 So nice to see nature in the sunshine after all these months of rain.
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For sure!!
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I love your photos & the words that accompany them.
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Thank you! 🙂
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Oh how exciting, Adele! I had a badger visit may garden regularly some years back, and it was a fantastic experience. Great photo you got, too!
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Thanks Peter! Glad you had one too! I’m just amazed to see him in the garden. And pleased that he’s tolerant of the patio light for photographs.
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I was amazed how the badger that used to visit me appeared to get used to the outside light over the patio, and how over the course of a year it gradually grew in confidence of me and eventaully I was but a few feet from it with the patio door open. These are very treasured memories for me, and I hope you get return visits, too, Adele.
If you are interested you can read and see some of my badger pics via this link to my Badger Diary: https://petehillmansnaturephotography.wordpress.com/the-badger-diary/
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Thanks for the link! What special animals they are.
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Exciting visitors! Both appear quite healthy. 🙂
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Yes, they do look in good shape. I’ve been monitoring the mammals out on a local farm by trail camera and I’ve noticed that they look in glowing health too. We had an exceptional berry crop last autumn so I guess they were well-prepared for winter!
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Good news!
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She certainly is pretty. 🙂
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Her ears and muzzle are unusually short 🙂 She is a pretty little fox.
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Adele, sweet images! Wordsworth sure got that one right! Very nice to see the Badger! And super nice to see Pretty Face again!
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Thanks Robin! Yes, I was very surprised to see her again. But she’s a tough little fox.
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Wonderful ! Love badgers and foxes :).
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Lots of things to celebrate and lovely photos too. Wishing the badger and the foxes a good season ahead.
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