Target Achieved

Last year I set myself the target of getting some good views of the Badgers in a local Badger Sett I am aware of, and maybe trying to photograph them. The first part has been achieved many times over, with some outstanding views of the Badgers. It becomes addictive, and before you know it, you want to head out every night Badger watching. It’s a strange feeling, but a couple of times the adult Badgers and I, both aware of each others presence have stared directly in each others direction, eyes meeting. This contact, if that is the correct word, causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up and gives me an enormous feeling of wellbeing, its difficult to put into words. However, if you are a regular Badger watcher, I’m sure you know what I mean, and how being in the presence of the biggest member of the Weasel family quickly becomes a bit of an addiction.

This week I managed to get out on Tuesday evening for a couple of hours. I intended looking for Badgers. My luck was in, and I soon stumbled across a pair of Badgers digging and probably eating plant roots. Its been mild, so they may have located a few nutritious worms.

I quietly picked a likely looking spot I have baited up before, and put a helping of peanuts down, about 20 mins later, two Badgers were feeding avidly on them. This was designed as a strategy to fulfil the second part of my target, to photograph a Badger. I had just purchased an infrared camera and have been impatiently awaiting its arrival. It arrived on Wednesday, and I spent Wednesday evening experimenting with the camera and working through the user manual to see what it could do.

Thursday evening and I find myself with a couple of spare hours at my disposal. I couldn’t resist. I headed out to the Badgers, set up the camera on a tripod and hoped they would show. I had again baited an area lightly with peanuts in an attempt to get them to hang around for a few pictures. Eventually, a Badger made an appearance. Just a solitary one tonight. Quite a big specimen, a Boar I think. It found the peanuts and got its picture taken. I hope to get plenty more and maybe some video in the near future. I will be keeping an eye on these over the course of the year.

I was very pleased with my first record shot Badger pictures.

 

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