Nature notes

Despite blackberries in the hedgerows really having come on stream at the end of last month, yesterday, while out picking, I found a patch where buds were still bursting, even this late in the season.

A few nights ago, looking out late at night to check the weather, I noticed movement in the garden below, something shaggy moving in the shadows, not looking like any of the fluffy cats in the neighbourhood, and definitely not a fox (which we do get from time to time out here in the countryside). Then it moved its head into the streetlight, and revealed itself to be a (probably juvenile) badger.