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
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
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