Le blaireau empaillé

Les lecteurs de longue date ici savent que j'ai une certaine fascination pour les animaux empaillés. Quand je vais dans des musées ou des endroits qui en ont, je passe beaucoup de temps à les contempler. Ici, il y a toujours des blaireaux, qui font partie de la faune locale. Je n'en ai cependant jamais vu dans la nature. J'en ai vu en captivité dans des zoos et, bien entendu, empaillés. Celui-ci je l'ai trouvé dans la section visiteurs d'un sanctuaire/hôpital pour animaux que nous avons visités il y a quelques semaines. Il valait la visite à lui seul. Certains animaux empaillés ont l'air misérables, en très mauvais état, maganés comme on dit au Québec. Lui pas du tout. Il a l'air vivant.

Renard et blaireau

Photo prise hier dans le sanctuaire pour animaux. Un renard et un blaireau empaillés. Rien de plus à dire, ils sont magnifiques.

Les blaireaux

Nouveau billet animalier. Préambule: j'ai pris cette photo au National Museum de Cardiff. Je n'ai jamais vu de blaireaux vivants dans la nature, bien qu'ils soient supposément asez fréquents. Mais ils ont pas mal de classe je trouve, même empaillés comme ceux-ci. Plus que leur cousin le raton-laveur. Ce n'est pas mon animal sauvage préféré, mais je l'aime bien quand même.

Woodland theme

I blogged about the subject before in French: in a moment of inspiration, my wife and I had the idea that our little Wolfie would have a woodland themed bedroom. And, in extension, a lot of the objects we purchased for him, from the car seat to the feeding cushion, also started to be woodland themed. The car seat you see here has for motives trees and foxes.The funny thing is, the bedroom has not been painted or truly prepared yet, as our little wolf is sleeping the first few months of his life in his parents' bedroom. But when it is, expect it to be in a forest fitting a little wolf cub.

I don't know if my parents-in-law have told friends and family of our decorating project, but we were surprised to find in the mail this present, which wrapping paper was also woodland themed. It had trees, mushrooms, bears, foxes (always foxes, with their lovely fiery colours), badgers and others. It is very autumnal, which is also fitting, as we have an autumn baby. Anyway, I found the wrapping so pretty that I took a picture of it and decided to share it here. I am a very enthusiastic new dad.

Springwatch is on

Hey, I just discovered it this evening: Springwatch was on! I catched it just in time. I cannot believe I didn't know, although it is a bit late in the year to have a "Spring" watch. It is true that I am not as big a fan of Springwatch as I am of Autumnwatch, but it is still lovely to see British wildlife. There are the usual stars of the show: beavers (they have been reintroduced in Britain), foxes (among my favourite), barn owls (another favourite of mine), various small rodents, birds and badgers. For me, a badger is mainly the name of a character in this British classic and this weird song. I saw a dead one by the road last Sunday, going back home. I felt a bit sad. Badgers, like all animals, are fascinating creatures. I will learn more about them with the program.I don't think I can love them as much as foxes or owls, but they will be my wildlife discovery of the year.

This picture was taken in the Keswick Museum. Any excuse is good enough to put pictures from Keswick here, but there is another reason for putting it here: as badgers are elusive, it was easier to take a picture of a dead stuffed one than a live one.

Autumnwatch tonight!

It was the first episode of Autumnwatch tonight! I just finished watching it, wide eyed and fascinated like a five years old. We were served tonight: we had badgers, a family of otters, foxes, bats, peregrim falcons and of course rutting stags. All animals I love. This show makes me want to walk to the nearest woods and observe wildlife. Actually, the back garden would probably be enough for this, if one if perceptive enough. In ours we have the bats, after all. We live so close to such a rich wildlife and we barely perceive it. I am glad Autumnwatch made me discover it.