[MH68]

Well, I`ve just come back from my first attempt at watching badgers, and I can only describe the experience as awesome!!!
Having been given permission to watch the sett (on a local nature reserve)by the warden there, I arrived at the location around 7-15pm, well in advance of the expected time the badgers would first emerge.Not only was I hoping for my first glimpse in a long long time of the resident Badgers, I was also hoping to capture the sightings(if they occured at all)on video.
First "action" at the sett occured around 7.45pm,when minutes after talking to an elderly couple who were wondering what I was hoping to film, a dog Fox appeared from the South coming through the thick undergrowth heading straight towards the sett.It crossed the open ground at the sett entrances, pausing for a few seconds and carried on to my right.
I missed capturing it on video however, due to me being on the other side of the tree from where the camera was situated, answering the call of nature!!
As I was silouetted against the skyline, at the side of the tree, the Fox was well aware of my presence, and stood watching me for half a minute during which time I didn`t dare move, before continuing with it`s foraging away into the dense bracken.
Barely 10 minutes later, the first Badger appeared - a sub adult which quickly left the safety of the sett without any caution whatsoever.With the video camera rolling it had a quick scratch and off it went into the bracken.I could clearly make out it`s distinctive black and white head through the thick undergrowth with the bins, but the view wasn`t worth trying to get on film.
After a few minutes of watching the youngster scratching about I suddenly became aware of 2 more Badgers emerging from the sett entrance.
One of the pair was another, very playful youngster, which ran riot around it`s companion, in the vicinity of the sett.All the while both Badgers tested the air for any strange scent, but appeared totally at ease and shuffled around the area for several minutes.
After around 3 or 4 minutes another appeared, this time an adult.With 3 badgers in the frame at the same time I thought it couldn`t get any better.
The initial young Badger which had emerged first, returned back to the sett area and the four of them scratched, played and shuffled around for what seemed like ages, but in reality was only a couple of minutes, before one disappeared from view down into one of the entrances.
At this point, during play, the youngster, after jumping virtually on the back of one of the others, disappeared down one of the entrances, and one of the others followed.
When they re-emerged, they weren`t alone, as suddenly there were now 6 Badgers in full view at the same time!!!
Over the course of watching the sett, I was aware of a few rogue gusts of wind which threatened to carry my scent towards the sett, and the Badgers,
and one strong gust did just that, and just as quickly as they had appeared they disappeared back to the safety of the sett.
At this point I left so as not to extend their time underground unneccessarily, aand headed home.
Having watched the footage since I got back home, I can honestly say it was one the most impressive sights I`ve ever experienced...the sight of 2 Badgers disappearing into the sett and 5 emerging simultaneously with one still in view was, and still is, awesome to say the least.I can only hope I get more chances in the future to watch these fascinating creatures.I feel privileged to have such a wonderful experience on film.

Mark

[Stewart J.]

Nice one Mark, its such a privilege to see that, saw my first as a teenager in possibly the same local nature reserve.

Stewart

[LJH]

Oh wow I am so jealous!!

[Gill Osborne]

Great read Mark ....they are fantastic aren't they!

I had my first organised Badger Watch in May 2004 and it was 'fun.' I was at work that day so took my naturalist clothes to work - and I could tell that one of my workmates was itching ALL DAY to ask me WHY i wanted to sit up a tree and look at animals LOL Eventually it got too much for her, about an hour before we finished, and she, with a big smirk on her face and in front of a shop full of customers, asked me WHY i wanted to go and look at BEAVERS!!! I had the greatest delight in informing her that it was Badgers and not beavers - should have seen how quickly the smirk was knocked off her face LOL
Anyway, got to the reserve at the appointed hour and after a brief chat with the warden about what to do etc - and what not to do - we ( a group of six including the warden) headed off towards the sett.
I was the only one dressed for wildlife watching - the other three had VERY bright rustly jackets on and the other girl had a skirt and HEELS!!!! The warden gave her a pair of wellies to change into as it was a bit boggy on the way.
The weather was glorious - had been sunny all day with virtually no wind, and we soon got settled up on top of the viewing platform. Very balmy evening and it was so relaxing listening to the cooing of the wood pigeons and birdsong and a rabbit hopping around beneath us.
Then, barely half an hour, after we arrived a female badger with a well grown cub emerged and we were able to watch them for about ten minutes or so. The sow was very alert and the cub stayed close to her.
And then the 'fun' began!!!
I was sitting in between the girl with the heels and one of the other guys and HE was so noisy!!! His coat kept rustling and he continually kept raising his hands up quickly and plonking them on the front railing and drumming his fingers on the wood. Then the other guy, who I think was his father, saw another badger emerge and almost shouted ''There's one...over there...do you see it?'' and pointed with his whole arm extended - the badgers would have had a nervous breakdown if they'd looked upwards!!! I was very surprised that they hadn't picked up on the amount of movement which was going on above them as it was!!! LOL
Then something made the female pop back down her hole with the cub and things became quiet once more for a further twenty minutes. The young guy next to me obviously began to feel rather bored after a few minutes so began drumming on the front of the platform with his fingers and shuffling his feet and then, could it get any worse, he began to clear his throat!!!
Despite all this racket going on another badger emerged and this one was much bigger than the sow & cub. He seemed very nervous and kept sniffing the air. We were very lucky to be able to watch him for about twenty minutes as he foraged about in bracken below the platform - but all the time he kept scenting the air nervously. But then the wind seemed to come up out of nowhere and blew from us to him and his behaviour INSTANTLY changed - head up sniffing and then a bolt for the nearest entrance and he disappeared from view.
The father & son were over the moon at seeing badgers and actually STOOD UP on the platform ( i resisted the temptation to push them over the edge ) and gave each other a 'High Five' - I couldn't believe the pair of them LOL
Anyway, we - or rather THEY - settled down one more in the hope that we'd be fortunate to see more badgers.
The son next to me then kept burping and saying 'pardon me' which almost reduced me to a ft of giggles - I caught the eye of the girl next to me and we couldn't help smiling and keeping our eyes looking down and THEN his stomach started to rumble - REALLY LOUDLY!!!!! Well by this point it was beginning to feel like a right farce and I had to bite the insides of my mouth to stop myself bursting out laughing!!!!
I think the warden probably felt the same way - couldn't see his face as he was behind me - as the wind changed direction once more a few minutes later and he decided to call it a day.
We WERE pleased at the fantastic views we had and I would go on an organised Badger Watch once more - I'll just make sure that I find out the names of my fellow watchers before putting my name down

Gill

[MH68]

Crikey Gill that sounds like the badgerwatch from hell !!! Hats off to you for having the patience to put up with those people.Dunno if I could have been so tolerant.
As a follow on from last night...I went back there this morning, a little after first light and there were lots of fresh feeding signs in the area around the sett, so at least I know the Badgers got back into their nightly routine after I`d left last night.I`ll hopefully try and return later next week to watch/film them some more.Fingers crossed the wind behaves itself next time though.......

Mark

[adehinch]

great to hear other people getting as excited as me seeing badgers... i carry a little bottle of kids bubbles in my pocket so when i arrive at a sett a quick blow of the bubbles and you can instantly see the direction of wind and set yourself up accordingly! in april i sat watching a sow with a tiny cub as she collected bedding with the cub trying to help. they were no more than 20ft away totally oblivious to me !

[MH68]

I`m a smoker so not difficult telling wind direction on approach to the sett( I don`t smoke whilst watching badgers obviously), great tip re the bubbles though.Trouble was, last night the wind was one of those swirly winds that changes direction and blows all over the place.Usually a prevailing SW wind is perfect for watching this particular sett.
Must say after last night, badger watching is pretty addictive, and i`m already looking forward to my next chance to watch them.

Mark

[Gill Osborne]

Originally Posted by MH68

Crikey Gill that sounds like the badgerwatch from hell !!! Hats off to you for having the patience to put up with those people.Dunno if I could have been so tolerant.

LOL Mark

I wasn't THINKING nice tolerant thoughts at first, believe you me!!! But once it got to the point where the two guys where standing up and congratulating each other on seeing the badgers, clearing their throats etc I just thought ''Ok, it's gonna be one of those nights!'' and just started feeling as though it was a right farce!!!
And once his stomach started rumbling really loudly I could barely stop myself from laughing - it was either that or cry!!!

I'd loved to have been a fly on the wall in the warden's house afterwards though - I've known Paul for years - and heard what he told his wife about that night's antics!
The most annoying thing though was that the badger watch a few nights' previous had had great views of six badgers feeding right below the viewing platform, foxes and deer passing by etc.......obviously THAT group were a tad quieter Just MY luck to end up with the noisy brigade *deep sigh*

Never mind - there's always next time......and I suppose THE important thing is getting folk interested in wildlife and conservation....get them totally hooked and they can pass on the message.

Gill

[MH68]

Same place as I was last night then Gill ........Can imagine Paul`s description to his wife as being somewhat "colourful"!!!
Had Deer within 8ft of me last night as I stood leant against a tree,but daren`t turn the camera away from the sett towards them for fear of them spooking noisily and scaring the badgers.Even then,whenever a twig cracked as the deer moved around the Badgers had their noses in the air trying to sense what was going on.
Next time I`m there (hopefully next weekend) I`ll try and get some still pics to post on here as well as some more video footage.

Mark