Mini (our west highland terrier) and I take our daily walk through a small wooded area that is possibly a municipally planted thicket that has lost the run of itself. Silver birch and cherry trees have self seeded themselves into a thick and closely knit wilderness. Of course strewn with the usual detritus and party ware that are synamous with all urban and indeed rural green spaces. I don't let this hinder my journey though.
There is much growth on the ground beneath the trees too, wood avens, brambles, cleavers and little tree seedlings all fighingt for the light. Mini loves a good rummage in the undergrowth, it brings out something feral in her. I have at times almost had to cut her out of some tangle as she frantically digs for some poor shrew or mouse. On retrieval there is a wild primal look in her eye, all signs of cute face licker and bedtime cuddler gone and replaced by an instinctive hunter and killer. I really have to keep my eyes trained on her or else she is off on a mission of destruction.
On one recent occasion, my back turned for a moment, she completely disappeared. Not a sight of her or a sound. Once locked on target there is no calling her back and I just hoped that where ever she was accesable. Its still summertime so visibility in the woods is at its lowest, but I know that where ever she is she is motionless as the tell tale jingle of her tags is inauadable, so somthing has really caught her attention. I push my way right into the middle of the growth and in a little clearing she stands frozen but ears cocked infront of a large burrow. She seems engaged with somthing but fear is stopping her progression into the hole that I am sure she will easily fit into. I push forward as silently as I can hoping I can grab her before she darts further away. Just as I reach her I see a white snout dart back into the darkness. Safe in my arms and swiftly chastised I then realise that we are surrounded by a network of burrows, all large and expertly dug out of the banks of soil.
On the walk home, I elimenate foxes, rabbiits and hares and once infront of my lap top I google urban badgers Dublin.