{"id":2227,"date":"2012-03-26T00:03:41","date_gmt":"2012-03-25T23:03:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.permuted.org.uk\/photography\/archives\/2227"},"modified":"2013-11-06T18:58:52","modified_gmt":"2013-11-06T18:58:52","slug":"late-night-garden-surprises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.permuted.org.uk\/photography\/late-night-garden-surprises\/","title":{"rendered":"Late night garden surprises"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

I'd had rather a quiet day as things go, the highlight being nothing beyond a pair of peacock butterflies going through a very sedate mating ritual (or at least that's what I presume was going on). The passive butterfly eventually flew off alone, but it was interesting to watch the more active one flutter and nudge in the hope of a response. Beyond that, an occasional greenfinch and robin, but not even a distant raptor to draw the camera.
<\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n

A late afternoon trip to Rottingdean produced next to nothing… even the fulmars were barely in evidence (I saw just one). We did have another fine sunset. I waited until just after the sun had disappeared below the horizon for this shot.
<\/span> <\/p>\n

Tonight though was different. Stepping outside I noticed the infra red lights illuminate the trail cam. I couldn't see what had triggered it, but then heard some loud lapping from the water tray. I stepped forward cautiously. So did the badger!
<\/span> <\/p>\n

We both nudged forward a step or two more.
<\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/p>\n

Those are nasty looking wounds, probably the result of a fight with another badger. She (?) was moving freely though, and didn't seem unduly bothered by them.<\/p>\n

She didn't stay long, retreating calmly to the rear of the garden and then navigating the border of the garden to exit through a convenient gap in the fence.
<\/span> <\/p>\n

And then another occasional visitor appeared. This one was much smaller, but like badgers has a taste for peanuts. Yes, the wood mouse is back.
<\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/span>
\"Nature<\/a><\/span>
\"site<\/a>
Camera note: badger and wood mouse shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF 100mm f\/2.8L macro IS USM lens. The butterflies and sunset were photographed with the EF 200mm f\/2.8L II USM lens.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[994,992,54,1022],"tags":[160,254,326],"class_list":["post-2227","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-badger-wildlife","category-butterfly-insects-2","category-mouse","category-sunset-landscape-2","tag-badger-2","tag-peacock-butterfly","tag-wood-mouse","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t