Last nights ‘red at night shepherds delight’ sort of sunset worth waiting for, I walked up to the top of the ridge, visibility was so clear I could even make out the tower blocks of the town best referred to as the ‘hole in the ground town’ a town who’s only redeeming feature is a truly beautiful Victorian railway viaduct, other than that it is best viewed from a distance and bathed in a flattering light of a summer sunset.
As a bonus whilst taking this shot, I watched a badger (it was huge, the largest I have ever seen, dead or alive) trotting along a track and disappearing into the undergrowth. Now I know badgers are not popular with farmers in many areas, because of their part in the spread of TB in cattle, and in parts of the country their numbers are at an all time high;but around here you are more likely to see them as bloated ‘road kill’ than going about their business, so it was a treat.
Badger don’t seem very bright at crossing the road, unfortunately they are creatures of habit, using the same tracks and set’s year after year, they don’t seem to get the concept of ‘not crossing on a bend’ ( I know they were around long before the automobile, they have every right) A few months ago, I came across what at first I thought was a car accident, it was dark and on the road to ‘nowhere’ when I saw a car stopped in the middle of the road and what looked like a body in lying in the road and people crouched down next to the ‘body.’ Brandishing my girl guide first aid certificate, I offered my assistance, fortunately the body, turned out to be a badger (but not fortunately for the badger, obviously) the badger was in my humble opinion about 98% dead, the people with it were, I’m pleased to say 100% alive; I pointed out that to be on a bend on an unlit road on a dark winters night was not a good place to be, unless you wanted to end up like the badger, they said they couldn’t leave it, so I suggested they move it, at this point I could see it was all a bit of a lost cause, I took my leave and left them debating what to do; I don’t know how they got on, I hope the remaining 2% badger wasn’t the biting bit.
On the subject of road kill, whilst in the Lakes the other week I thought I had found the perfect addition to my skull collection when I found a fox skeleton complete with bushy tail, at the side of the road, poking at it with my boot I found that it still had its black nose (that skin must be a bit tougher than the rest) and that the skull was ere, um, how shall we say, a little too ‘active’ and smelly for me to get away with bringing it home in the car, shame, it had a fine set of teeth.
Stunning pics as usual!
I grew up in East Anglia and my Dad used the phrase:
“Red sky at night…………. the barns on fire!”
All to be said in a daft mock ‘farmer’ accent!
Lovely badger photo. Here in the suburbs we are over-run with badgers, whom everyone is glad to see. Last week there were seven of them partying at the bottom of my garden. I’m not entirely happy about them being there because they dig up my lawn. And who knows what they are going to do to my vegetables when I put them out? But it is still a thrill to see them, so confident as they go about their business, no worries about farmers round here.
Good sunset photo…very mellow!
I’ve never seen a badger, live or dead! xx
Why risk yourself for an animal? If it was too far gone to bite then what were they going to do (other than cause an accident by standing in the middle of the road)?
I do so want to see a badger – one going about its business, just being a badger. Someday.
ive got my very own badger
i should of entioned my badger is a collie with a perfect white stripe down his nose. There are badger sets on my regular run around constitution hill. Nowadays i dont think the farmers bother much about them and bovine TB as all the cattle have been replaced by ponies.