I would put money on it having been a fox earth, not a badger sett.
(Or a badger set being used by foxes).
Foxes always leave food remains outside their dens. Badgers generally don't.
Lapwing nest predation
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(Or a badger set being used by foxes).
Foxes always leave food remains outside their dens. Badgers generally don't.
I think Tim means though that its unusual for them to be left above their set rather than dragged in mate
Yes, but dragged to where?
It's not typical for badgers to leave part eaten carcasses at the mouth of a sett. Foxes do that.
Exactly what I meant.
The area around a sett occupied by badgers is usually kept very clean. They even drag their used bedding away from the sett.
But an earth (or old badger sett) occupied by foxes usually has food remains around the entrance, especially when cubs are below.
Dunwaters
Well-Known Member
Check out the silage fields after cutting, foxes and crows flock to them to pick over the kill.
Birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, all attracted to the field by the luxuriant growth and slaughtered by fast moving farm machinery. There used to be a campaign to have fields harvested from the centre, to give the wildlife some chance to escape, with the speed of modern machinery I don’t think it would make any difference nowadays.
Taking 3 cuts annually exacerbates the problem because one of those cuts will be at peak nesting time.
Silage fields have become traps that attract and concentrate wildlife which is then slaughtered during harvest, and there are thousands of hectares of traps.
That’s the problem, I don’t have a solution.
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Hay
Sadly though Ben we also see kills in the hay - particularly in the proper meadows we have now as the mixed sward is ideal nesting and brood cover
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
But surely by hay cutting they've fledged mate? 2nd clutch for some perhaps.
Yes im sure some species like lapwing will have and Curlew - but we always sadly see a few leverets cop for it - wild pheasant poults - I will always walk the crop out before - just do the best we can really
Alas those days are long gone....4 or 5 cuts of silage is the norm on some of the bigger farms I shoot.
Cant really blame the farmers for making the most they can out of the ground ... but agree with your point
BenBhoy
Well-Known Member
Oh i know mate. I've managed to persuade gaffer to not do any silage past 3yr just hay, but we've already taken first cut silage this year, increased cattle numbers & silage pays im afraid. Edit, tbf tho 1 cut is normal for us, very rarely 2, then we rotationally graze aftermath.Alas those days are long gone....4 or 5 cuts of silage is the norm on some of the bigger farms I shoot.
Cant really blame the farmers for making the most they can out of the ground ... but agree with your point
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
Some countries use a flushing bar attached to the chopper, which will flush wildlife on the penultimate pass before their stand is cut, but of course modern silage cutting tech and the speed of pass by those so inclined ensure a very under-reported mortality rate.
God speed the plough, but spare us the cutter…
God speed the plough, but spare us the cutter…
Your living in a dream world. 2nd cut finished here on Monday. 2x mowers in a field one with front and side mowers. They cut at 20 km so not a chance for anything to escape. Roe does on point of kidding. In fact got a picture of a fawn in Somerset this am.
I think no kids mowed on my perms. Most of it will be down to maize by next week!
More traditional farmers looking to cut 1st cut in about 10 days time if we get some dry weather.
I will be v busy then.
D
I think no kids mowed on my perms. Most of it will be down to maize by next week!
More traditional farmers looking to cut 1st cut in about 10 days time if we get some dry weather.
I will be v busy then.
D
It's also very common for a fox to occupy part of a large badger sett
All I'm really saying is that food strewn around the den entrance tends to be a fox behavioural trait, rather than a badger one.
Ah right , Ive never actually seen remains scattered about a badger sett like a litter of cubs would leave , just seen lamb 'bits' down in the hole mouths with badgers.It's also very common for a fox to occupy part of a large badger sett
All I'm really saying is that food strewn around the den entrance tends to be a fox behavioural trait, rather than a badger one.
Incidentally the biggest kills I've ever experienced in pheasant pens were by badgers . Straight through the wire , ignoring the electric fence then killing as good as any fox could.
We still make "stupid bales"
We make about 40 acres into hay, usually cut around 13th june. Unfortunatley we get the odd leveret and pheasant brood but most of the animals are getting to a size they can get out of the way. Its nearly impossible to spot them when we cut the field.
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