February is a bustling month for wildlife activity. Join us on February 20th to delve into the fascinating behaviors of badgers, moles, and squirrels. Discover the boisterous mating rituals of badgers, the extensive burrowing of moles in search of mates, and the preparations of squirrels as they ready their dreys for new arrivals. Learn how to spot signs of active badger setts and understand the unique adaptations of these creatures during this transitional period. Don't miss this captivating look at the hidden lives of these remarkable mammals. Mark your calendars and prepare to explore the wonders of February's wildlife!
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Badgers
Badger sows are now coming into heat. Oddly, mating often occurs shortly after her litter has been born and she may well have her cubs by the end of the month. In badgers, mating is a boisterous affair. There is some playing, which can last for just a few minutes or as long as an hour. During this, the whickering boar growls deeply and produces copious amounts of musk. This behaviour is rarely seen, as badgers can spend several days underground in February avoiding bad weather. They replace their bedding twice a year, once in the autumn and once in the early spring. This makes February one of the best times to investigate whether a sett is active or not.
The tell-tail signs are discarded old bedding nearby as well as around and inside the entrance hole itself. This bedding will be made up of dried grasses, ferns and leaves which the sow is bringing in to line her brood chamber. There should also be some piles of recently dug earth nearby as well as latrines and scratch marks on nearby trees, especially elders. It is also worth looking on any well worn paths leading away from the sett for tufts of hair on any sharp object such as a barb-wire fence. The hairs should be stiff, wiry and black with white tips. Also if it has been wet there may well be footprints. Look out for ones with long claw marks.
Moles
Black molehills and temporary surface runs are very much in evidence this month. Moles will occasionally leave their tunnels and move overland several hundred metres looking for females or more suitable ground. The male, or boar, is not a social beast, but at this time of year his thoughts do turn to the opposite sex and he burrows extensively till he catches the sow’s odour with his small, bright red nose. They also spend more time near the surface in mild weather, hunting for worms. It is said they work for three hours then rest for three. Moles can vary a lot in colour from the familiar coal black through cinnamon to white, and even sometimes have a silvery appearance. At the point where he encounters his prospective partner, the male is usually rewarded with a good fight. The screams uttered by moles are often too high pitched for our ears, but
sadly are clearly heard by weasels. After some persistence, the reluctant female accepts him for a short time only. After this brief encounter, they then separate for another year. Surprisingly, considering the likelihood of a successful mating, only a small number of females will not be fertilised by the end of the month.
Squirrels
Squirrels are still looking large and healthy, with thick, bushy tails. The guard hairs on their tails have a black base then a yellow portion, then brown, ending in a white tip.
All grey squirrels are now silvery-white underneath compared with the dull, greyish-brown of last summer and are also showing off their handsome ear tufts. This has all done the trick and females are already likely to be pregnant and will be ready to give birth next month. After all the courting last month, the female has probably now driven off her persistent suitors and is more preoccupied in preparing a drey for her family. She will line it with moss, grass and fur. It looks like a domed magpie’s nest, but is usually located in a stronger fork of the tree than a magpie would choose. Also, a squirrel’s drey looks considerably more weatherproof and at this time of year is often thickly covered in dead leaves to give it better insulation.
