More unfortunate roadkill - TAWNY OWL, another BADGER & urban PHEASANT.

Following on from last weeks post about the roadkill BADGER at the Link Road near Howe Grove, Highfield (> HERE <), on Friday I noticed something else at the side of the road also on the Link Road, at the W end of Howe Grove, Highfield, so on Saturday while I was out collecting the car from the Red Lion after the previous evening's partying I got a good look at it as we drove past. It was yet another BADGER that had been killed by a car! I had not seen them here before then 2 dead in as many weeks! On telling my Dad he said that he & my Mum had often seen them running round at night around the stretch between the Marchmont Arms & N Gadebridge Park football pitches, including going through the gate to the rough area next to the pub, so it seems they have been around there for longer than I'd realised.

As if this was sad enough, less than a minute later I saw a roadkill TAWNY OWL at the side of Leighton Buzzard Road at Piccotts End, just across from the village. When driving past only about an hour later it had gone, either picked up by someone or dragged away to be scavenged on by some opportunistic creature.

A MAGPIE had also suffered the same fate on the Link Road, but more unusual was a Male PHEASANT last week that was dead on Redbourne Road at Cupid Green, just E of Grovehill. It seemed it had ventured closer to town in his search for a mate & found himself in a more sticky situation than anticipated! I have seen similar before with one being dead on St. Albans Road just NW of Tesco at Jarman's Park, & have also been told of one running along Great Road in Adeyfield in the middle of the day before!

All in all pretty sad, especially the Tawny Owl & Badger, though it is a good indication of what wildlife is about. I'd have never had seen 2 POLECATS at Piccotts End & known there was a population there if they weren't dead in the road! Though I have seen one cross the Link Road from Howe Grove, Highfield before just round the corner. The only STOAT I've seen at Great Gaddesden was also roadkill!

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