We are heading into the Autumn months now at the wildlife hide. Nights are cooling and the outside lighting is becoming essential as we reach the end of September. Visitors continue to enjoy the sights that the hide has to offer, not forgetting the charismatic Wood Mice and Tawny Owls being heard from nearby woods.
The Badger clan continue to be the highlight of any visit, watching the interactions between the family, the cubs continuing to grow and noticing a change in feeding patterns. So far some of the clan are coming in to feed whilst it is still light outside, with around five individuals coming in an evening. The two older cubs are almost fully grown, bigger than their mother now.
Feeding frenzy (Kate M)
In the Autumn months, most mammals need to eat a lot more to built up fat reserves to get through the winter when there is less available for them. The Badgers are certainly eating more, and evidence of further foraging can be seen in nearby areas, looking for worms which is their main food source. The smallest cub that was born late in the season is coming in every night and is beginning to grow. We hope that she will be able to get enough nutrition to get through the winter months.
Pine Martens (Sue Parker)
Coming to a wildlife hide is great excitement, especially with the anticipation of what you might see. Having a facility where you can sit inside with outdoor lighting to wait and watch nocturnal animals in their natural environment is a very special experience. Pine Marten is a mammal many people have never seen due to their secretive nature and often only seen at night. Living up in the forest, they are certainly a highlight at the hide, especially with nights getting darker and our recent guests have enjoyed some memorable Pine Marten encounters. You are never sure what time of the night they might visit, but there is always a chance and that is what makes a visit to an evening wildlife hide more interesting.
We hope to welcome more visitors to the hide soon and you can keep up to date with the wildlife hide on our social media, blog, and check our website for availability in the coming weeks.