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Post by alphawolf on Jun 5, 2015 19:43:02 GMT
Hmm that makes so much more sense as we have a very high amount of blackbirds. Don't have peanuts any other substitutes to attract more mammals, going to replace the catfood. Will sleep again outside today P.S What about the location and the chance of different mammals. Also was that a fox den or badger sett.
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Post by rowanberry on Jun 5, 2015 21:36:49 GMT
I'm not familiar with either fox or badger dens to be able to say... but don't forget to put a thin coating of flour around your dish of catfood- from your photos, you've got a nice big patio there, so place it right in the center of that. Hopefully you'll get some tracks by morning- good luck!
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 5, 2015 22:03:58 GMT
I'm not familiar with either fox or badger dens to be able to say... but don't forget to put a thin coating of flour around your dish of catfood- from your photos, you've got a nice big patio there, so place it right in the center of that. Hopefully you'll get some tracks by morning- good luck! Thanks! Will try that today!
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 6, 2015 7:24:44 GMT
Hi so I did what rowan said but unfortunately I can't decipher the tracks, It;s definitely not a bird as there is a few pieces of flour making s trail through a garden. Therefore I touch a picture of it and in different angles hopefully someone can identify it, Unfortunately I got a bit of sore throat yesterday and I do have some pretty important exams so I didn't sleep yesterday but I shall today. If it is a fox or badger then I'am definitely staying awake all night
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 6, 2015 13:21:54 GMT
In the second photo there seems to be some bird prints,however something larger, mammalian did take the vat food due to me discovering a trail of flour leading across the garden So Rowan what do you think it is? Oh and what time do such larger animals comet with the summer being that late?
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Post by rowanberry on Jun 6, 2015 19:11:26 GMT
I am a complete amateur when it comes to any kind of tracking, I'm afraid. I can see the bird tracks, which I presume must be some sort of corvoid for it to be attracted to catfood, (crow, maybe? or magpie?) There does appear to be other tracks as well, but without being able to see them very well I would probably have to guess fox. How much catfood was in your container, and did it all get eaten? I have to say, if you've got a sore throat I'd give another all-nighter a miss, especially if you have exams. It is supposed to be a warm and dry night again tonight- maybe just sweep your flour around to smooth it out right before it gets dark...put out a bit more food, and check it again in the morning, (and perhaps weigh it down with a stone in the centre of the dish so that it doesn't get pushed about and wipe out your tracks.) It can sometimes take awhile for the local creatures to realise there is food available...we'd lived here for over four years before a fox sussed out that there was a pond with a plentiful supply of frogs available! It's just a shame that you are moving soon, and don't have a great deal of time to allow for this. Hopefully your new place will allow for wildlife watching, too? PS. our fox usually comes not long after it gets dark- any time between 10:00 and 11:00 pm... but sometimes he can decide to be contrary and not arrive until sunrise. Which is when he eats the blackbird's mealworms.
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 6, 2015 21:33:31 GMT
Something amazing just happened. So it was 10:30 and I was investigating the flour prints in detail when I heard the sound again. It was like someone was breathing very deeply down in the bushes down the garden. there was a sound of rattling fences and that was that. Do you think that was the fox, it really feels like it. Tomorrow I shall spend the time duration of 9-12 waiting...
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Post by alf1951 on Jun 7, 2015 6:11:08 GMT
Sorry to rain on your parade but am I the only person who has reservations about leaving out food - at least in urban gardens - which is likely to attract rats? If neighbours complain the local council can ultimately take legal action against you.
Alf
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 7, 2015 8:13:11 GMT
Nah I usually experiment with food to see if the rats will increase, but since we came there is only 1 rat that lives nearby. Furthermore, our neighbourhood has a high amounts of foxes and a few cats...
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Post by rowanberry on Jun 7, 2015 12:28:17 GMT
Alf does have a valid point, which I didn't think of... perhaps only have the food out when you are out doing your nightwatch in the tent?
Once rats get established, they can be very difficult to get rid of!
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 7, 2015 16:16:33 GMT
Alf does have a valid point, which I didn't think of... perhaps only have the food out when you are out doing your nightwatch in the tent? Once rats get established, they can be very difficult to get rid of! This is what I do, I only put the food when I camp! And rowan what do you think the snorting noise was?
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 8, 2015 11:26:44 GMT
In all your years of experience what does a fox sniff or breath sound like. Does it sound like an extremely loud deal breathing which I could hear across the garden, It also has a much greater depth! Really hope that it was a fox that sniffed the tent!
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Post by rowanberry on Jun 8, 2015 15:07:50 GMT
Several years ago, I was out camping with a friend, and a fox came into the central partition of the tent and dragged out the rubbish bag... the nearest description I can come to it that it sounded like a rather large dog sniffing out outside, it that's any help!
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 8, 2015 22:19:25 GMT
I would start off with earlier suggestion of hanging a white sheet (over a clothes line?) with a light behind it. After it gets dark that will attract all sorts of insects quite quickly. This weekend is forecast fine so should be good. The insects in their turn will attract other things. Actually I may try that tomorrow! What do you think will the insects attract? Bats won't swoop that close will they cause if they do I'am definitely going to to try this!
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Post by alphawolf on Jun 10, 2015 13:48:22 GMT
I would start off with earlier suggestion of hanging a white sheet (over a clothes line?) with a light behind it. After it gets dark that will attract all sorts of insects quite quickly. This weekend is forecast fine so should be good. The insects in their turn will attract other things. Actually I may try that tomorrow! What do you think will the insects attract? Bats won't swoop that close will they cause if they do I'am definitely going to to try this! Anyone?
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