The badger evenings ran every Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 7pm from 2nd July to 9th August and were hosted by Mike Williams - a National Trust volunteer who had being volunteering for over 25 years.
The weather was perfect and we all met in the Dinefwr Park car park, next to the information hut. There were around 13 of us including Mike and we all made our way up to the hide passing the impressive Newton House on the way.
There were room for all of us to sit down in the hide and we look on as Mike scattered peanuts and other treats down for the badgers.
When Mike had finished laying out the food he came back into the hide where we all remained quiet, waiting patiently. Within a few minutes we saw a fox in the distance who was just passing through and several chaffinches and wrens. We waited patiently for about five minutes and got a glimpse of our first black and white visitor, followed shortly by two others. We were all absolutely delighted.
To the left of the hide we noticed some movement and there we saw several bank voles chomping on some seed Mike had left. They were running around and we were all mesmerised to be so near to these small (and usually illusive) creatures.
It was so fantastic to watch these wonderful badgers just enjoying the food and chilling out, you are literally only a few metres away from them and can get some great pics. I only have a small point and shoot camera, but my partner who has a super zoom bridge camera was getting spectacular pics and this event would be a wildlife photographers dream.
The whole setting was beautiful and the hide is situated in the deer park where herds of fallow deers graze. Dinefwr park is ideal for nature lovers and over the course of a few hours we were there we had seen an array of birds, deer, foxes, bank voles and of course badgers. The whole evening was really informative and Mike is a lovely gentleman who answered all of our questions - you get to learn all kinds of interesting facts about the badgers and the other wildlife in the park.
The evening finished around 9.30pm and as we all made our way back to the car park we were treated to the most beautiful sunset.
Unfortunately the badger evenings have now finished this year but hopefully they will do them again in 2015. I would highly recommend anyone who loves badgers and nature to definitely give it a go - it truly is magical to see these beautiful creatures getting the recognition they deserve and not the persecution they are currently receiving with the badger cull.
For more information on badger watch evenings visit Dinefwr's website here.
Check out my other Dinefwr blog that I wrote earlier this year for a full review on the park and castle. Click here.
When Mike had finished laying out the food he came back into the hide where we all remained quiet, waiting patiently. Within a few minutes we saw a fox in the distance who was just passing through and several chaffinches and wrens. We waited patiently for about five minutes and got a glimpse of our first black and white visitor, followed shortly by two others. We were all absolutely delighted.
To the left of the hide we noticed some movement and there we saw several bank voles chomping on some seed Mike had left. They were running around and we were all mesmerised to be so near to these small (and usually illusive) creatures.
It was so fantastic to watch these wonderful badgers just enjoying the food and chilling out, you are literally only a few metres away from them and can get some great pics. I only have a small point and shoot camera, but my partner who has a super zoom bridge camera was getting spectacular pics and this event would be a wildlife photographers dream.
The whole setting was beautiful and the hide is situated in the deer park where herds of fallow deers graze. Dinefwr park is ideal for nature lovers and over the course of a few hours we were there we had seen an array of birds, deer, foxes, bank voles and of course badgers. The whole evening was really informative and Mike is a lovely gentleman who answered all of our questions - you get to learn all kinds of interesting facts about the badgers and the other wildlife in the park.
The evening finished around 9.30pm and as we all made our way back to the car park we were treated to the most beautiful sunset.
Unfortunately the badger evenings have now finished this year but hopefully they will do them again in 2015. I would highly recommend anyone who loves badgers and nature to definitely give it a go - it truly is magical to see these beautiful creatures getting the recognition they deserve and not the persecution they are currently receiving with the badger cull.
For more information on badger watch evenings visit Dinefwr's website here.
Check out my other Dinefwr blog that I wrote earlier this year for a full review on the park and castle. Click here.
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