The peanuts and badger box went out around 20:30 and the badgers were on post by 21:00, the evenings getting darker earlier is prompted them to get out of the sett much sooner these days. The box had meagre pickings, some baked beans, a few pieces of pasta and the remains of a corn on the cob. The cob was initially ignored in favour of the pasta and peanuts but once they'd gone one of the badgers made a play. Clutching one end of the cob in its mouth, head tipped back, it bolted for the Mexican Blossom and was not seen for ten minutes.
Whilst the cob was quietly consumed the others munched their way through the peanuts and gave us a chance to try and identify individuals. The facial markings seem too similar to really pick each one out but the tails do give a better idea. One, the largest, has a ring of white hair around the base of its tail and so 'Captain' is formally christened. The others need to distinguish themselves before they are named.
Now and then they all disappeared under the bush and squeals could be heard as they fought over the corn cob and then one made a dash for it, cob held high, and trotted back down the side of the playhouse. The other two finally appeared, looked around for their mate, had a long drink at the pond and then wandered off down the side of the house.
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