HALSTEAD- Neil Yeo
it's been very quiet in the Halstead section with no RTA callouts at all!!!, Where have all my Badgers gone?? im beginning to think they have emigrated to other sections. I have had the usual badger in gardens tasks to deal with but apart from that...
it was fantastic to see a large turnout at this years AGM and very interesting it was too. Im always pushed for time but would love to get the Halstead section buzzing again so please any members that wish to do a little bit more please do not hesitate ingiving me a call.....
BRAINTREE - Renee Hockley-Byam
Thankfully it's been fairly quiet in the Braintree section over the Spring and early Summer as far as road casualties have been concerned and also on sett disturbance and interference, apart from a badger entrance at Gosfield that had been dug, probably by the hunt trying to dig a Fox out of a badger sett, which is illegal of course and reported to Essex Police....
Among other incidents reported to the Police were a dead badger, in a plastic bag, dumped at Braintree Railway station, and a badger hanging from a noose from a road bridge at Great Notley (along with a squirrel, a Blackbird and a wood Pidgeon).
TENDRING - Gill Hagger
Following on from the last report, Tendring section along with Colchester section divided the map into two areas north of Colchester and ventured out surveying areas that looked suitable as possible badger release sites. Two areas were of particular interest within the tendring area. the first area showed no signs of badger activity within the wooded area but is too close to the A120. the second site was ideal, hence badgers are already living there, another sett added to our list and another suitable home for ophaned badgers taken off the list.
planning sites have again become a very large issue within Tendring, i am currently very busy sifting through the major application re St Osyth Priory and shall be contacting Essex County Council in the near future.
MALDON - Renee hockley-Byam
For those members that didnt attend the extra special meeting held on 13th june i'd like to bring you up to date with the situation following the resignation of the section leader.
Meetings will continue as before with a new Chairman at most meetings. He will continue looking after shows and purchasing inthe Maldon and Dengie area. there will also be a new planning officer along with a new field officer - dealing with incidents and problems and reporting back to the Hotline as neccesary.
i will endeavour to keep members with email adresses up to date with issues regarding any potential cull etc. if you don't want to recieve these, or if you feel you'd like more info please let me know.
COLCHESTER - David Jones
It's been quite a good time for the section, finding new setts and the possibility of losing another. In February we "discovered " a new sett in the area. The spoil could be seen from the road. After speaking to the Landowner it was apparent they had known of he sett for some time. When i played with Google mapping the sett could be seen from the sky, you could even make out the holes!
last month i was chased around Sainsburys car park by an old freind of mine, he had found a hole that mystified him. We arranged to meet where he had found the hole, he led me into the wood. In the middle there was alot of bracken and there was a sett with at least twenty entrances most of which were in use by either Badgers or a tenant Fox (an abundance of animal bones indicated as much).
We also have a sett that has been gated and closed down. The occupants have relocated elsewhere.
We had a bit of a set to in Colchester where a sett had been disturbed. We found that two fence posts and a gate had been erected and the posts were in badger holes. The Farmer had been fined for gassing a sett in the same area. The landowner has been spoken to and the issue has ben concluded.
Summer is now apon us and it's time to change emphasis from sett checking to shows. We have attended two shows so far including Chesire homes at Gt Bromley which was both enjoyable and we hope successful.
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