Badger in the meadow having a scratch in mid June when the days are long
BADGERS - MY TOP TIPS
FOR PHOTOGRAPHING BADGERS (Meles Meles)
Many years ago, purely by accident, I stumbled upon several large holes in my local woodland. The holes were too large for rabbits and I felt sure it must be badgers. So I purchased one of the earliest wildlife trail cameras and set it up on a close by tree. I couldn't wait to retrieve the SD card and was amazed when it revealed the holes were home to a family of at least six large badgers and two playful cubs. It was so exciting watching their antics and I have visited that sett ever since. Sadly over the years, the badger sett has been attacked, dug, and backfilled, but surprisingly it is still active today almost 20 years later.
I have photographed badgers for over 12 years now and have learned so much and enjoyed my nights in the forest with these beautiful creatures. So to anyone starting out on their badger journey, whether watching badgers or taking photographs, here's a few of my top tips on how to badger watch/take photos of badgers in an ethical, responsible and enjoyable way.
Badgers and badger setts are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992
Badger checking it's safe to leave the sett
FIRST THINGS FIRST - finding and recognising an active badger sett - here's a few clues to help
"D" SHAPED ENTRANCE HOLE
The entrance hole to a badger sett could best be described as a "Capital D on its side" and has to be the same width going down into the tunnel. If it narrows considerably, then it's probably rabbits. Badgers are hefty animals and they won't fit down a rabbit hole. They will also brush the sides of the hole as they travel down into the sett and make the sides look shiny and smooth. However, badger sett entrances can also look different to the usual D shape, so all other signs should be taken into consideration.
Badger emerging from the badger sett
SPOIL HEAPS
Badgers are prolific diggers and another sign of an active badger sett and in current use, is the amount of fresh spoil outside the entrance hole. Amongst the spoil, could be dried grass used for bedding and badger hairs. The spoil heap may have a furrow created by the badgers as they enter and exit the sett. You may also see pawprints of the badger but this depends on the type of soil, but its always worth a look.
A well established badger sett in the banks of a ditch
BADGER PAW PRINTS
Badgers have very distinctive pawprints. They are easily recognised by the kidney shaped pads. Badgers have five toes and very long claws, although sometimes only four claw marks will be seen.
Badger paw prints can be clearly seen in wet muddy soil
DRIED BEDDING BALLS
Badgers change their bedding quite frequently and it's not unusual to see a rolled up ball of dried bedding material outside a badger sett.
In woodland, they have a comical way of collecting bedding, gathering it up in their front paws and dragging it backwards and down into the sett. In late January/February, I often purchase some bags of clean, dust free meadow hay and take them to badger setts where I know bedding material is sparse. I leave the hay scattered around the entrances and the next time I visit, it is gone. Sows have their cubs in February and I like to think that the warm hay may in a very small way, help them to survive.
FAMILIAR PATHWAYS
Badgers are creatures of habit and follow ancient pathways from their sett to their foraging grounds.
These pathways can be seen in woodland, for example when the bluebells are out, or like in the image below, up the side of a banking. These pathways will be quite wide and the vegetation may be crushed due to the size, weight and closeness to the ground, these animals are. Claw marks are often seen which will confirm it is indeed a badger pathway.
Sadly for badgers, following their ancient pathways can lead to tragedy, especially when new roads, motorways and housing estates are built, as badgers will still try to follow them whatever the obstacles.
BADGER LATRINES
Badgers are immensely house proud. They change their bedding regularly, dragging it from the sett and leaving it out in the sunshine to dry and refresh. They groom themselves and keep their long claws clean by scratching at trees. Another important fact is: they use a latrine. Badgers will often have a latrine near to the sett, especially nursing sows, but latrines are also used as territorial warnings and boundary markers. Spotting a badger latrine is a promising sign that badgers are present in the vicinity.
A badger latrine. Another sign to look out for
NEXT - MY TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL BADGER PHOTOGRAPHY/BADGER WATCHING
Once you are confident that you have found an active badger sett, you may wish to badger watch or take photographs or watch badgers - here's a few tips to help:-
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
Once you are confident that you have found an active badger sett, perhaps even confirmed it by using a wildlife trail camera, you may wish to visit one evening with your camera.
It is useful to visit the sett in daylight and brush aside any snappy twigs, crispy leaves or trip hazards. It's amazing just how silent a forest can be and any noise such as a snapping twig will immediately put the badgers on high alert.
TIP 1: Do some prep work before your badger watch/photography session and always approach the sett quietly, no talking, no snapping of twigs underfoot.
WHICH WAY THE WIND BLOWS
When badgers first emerge, they do not leave their sett immediately. They spend a few minutes, even longer sometimes, sniffing the air and checking for danger. If the badger picks up your scent, he will dash back down the sett and won't emerge for probably 20 minutes or until you have gone. Take something with you to use as a kind of windsock, perhaps a ribbon or pieces of wool. Anything light and silent which will blow in the wind.
TIP 2: Always check the wind direction and be downwind of the sett, check it frequently as wind direction can change.
SNIFFY WHIFFY
Badgers have poor eyesight but have an excellent sense of smell, (800 times more powerful than humans) so avoid wearing perfume, aftershave or deodrant or even mozzie spray. The badgers will smell you and they will not emerge.
Wearing the same clothes each time you visit will help. Clothes should be dark and should not rustle. A fleece is ideal. Rain jackets do tend to rustle.
TIP 3: - Don't wear perfume or aftershave, blend into the background wearing dark clothes which do not rustle
PHONES ON SILENT
Badger watching and badger photography requires lots of patience and sitting quietly often for hours on end, so it's tempting to pass the time by scrolling on your phone. However, badgers can emerge just when you've given up hope. Phones are useful to check the weather, wind direction and sunset times, but should be switched to silent. While you're busy scrolling, with head down, that little black and white head may suddenly pop out and it would be such a shame to miss it. If your phone does ring whilst badger watching, it could be a very long wait before they emerge again.
Tip 4: Always switch your phone to silent
This large badger boar just flopped down, so relaxed watching the cubs play
Are you sitting comfortably?
Unless you're using a paid hide to badger watch, then you're going to be sat somewhere that may be a bit uncomfortable. Remember you may be there for a good few hours, so whilst a sloping hillside, sat in meadow grass may not present too much of a problem, sat on a woodland floor may be a bit harder on your bum.
There may also be biting insects, nettles and briars to contend with. A midge net to cover your head, as used in the Scottish Highlands can save you from being bitten to death.
Tip 5: Take something to sit on. One of those lightweight gardening pads you kneel on to garden, or a folding stool which doubles as a rucksak can prove useful.
DISTANCE YOURSELF
Do not walk over a badger sett or position yourself too near the sett.
The badgers will hear you and they will certainly smell you. A successful badger watch is when the badgers are not aware you are there and it isn't fair to frighten them.
There are various suggestions of just how many metres you need to be away from the sett, some suggest 8 m, others 10m. Badgers aren't static, they will play and groom and scratch right in front of you and if they don't know you are there and they don't smell you, they will trot past you following familiar paths, (and to their latrine)
Tip No. 6 - Keep a respectable distance from the badger sett
GOING NUTS OVER NUTS
Badgers go mad for peanuts. But if you just scatter peanuts on the floor, then the only images you will get will be a badger with it's head down.
The image on the right with two badgers illustrates this perfectly. First, I spread a little peanut butter in a tree and pressed peanuts into the peanut butter. This encouraged the badger to forage off the floor and with her head up. The badger feeding on the floor is foraging for peanuts which I have hidden under a log. His head downand thats how he will stay until every last peanut is gone. Marmite works just as well but peanut butter is definitely a favourite.
Giving them anything portable like a piece of meat, they will just run off with it and you won't see them again for a while.
Tip No 7: Place your peanuts and peanut butter where you want the badgers to be, some off the ground or along a fallen log to get a variety of images
TAKE YOUR TIME
It's so exciting when the badgers start to emerge from their sett and so tempting to start snapping away. But badgers are very cautious animals and the slightest noise will cause them alarm. So let them settle down to feeding on the peanuts which they can't get enough of and then, ensuring that your shutter button is on silent, you can start to take your images.
Tip No 8: Always have your shutter on silent and wait until the badgers are fully engrossed in eating before taking your images.
LET THERE BY LIGHT !
Badger photography can be quite challenging, due to them emerging just as the light is failing. However, all is not lost. In June, the days are much longer and the image opposite was taken at about 9.30 pm on midsummer's night. It was a magical evening. I sat for hours, alone on the hillside, when suddenly the badgers began to emerge and the backdrop was this glorious field of buttercups.
So how do you overcome this lack of light?
Place your camera on a tripod
Set your aperture wide open - 2.8 if you can
Get the setting sun behind you if the wind direction allows
Experiment with your ISO. Yes an high ISO will introduce noise, but it can be cleaned up later in post processing.
Tip No 9: Always use a sturdy tripod
GOODNIGHT AND THANK YOU
Once the badgers have finished eating the peanuts, they will move off to their foraging grounds. Now is the time for you to leave too having had a wonderful experience with the badgers.
It's important to leave just as quietly as you arrived. So first, gather up all your belongings, double checking to ensure nothing is left behind.
Using a head torch or hand torch, make your way out of the forest or field and back to your car and the only question you will be asking is "when can I do this again?"
Tip No 10: Remember to bring a torch as it's usually daylight when you arrive, but the hours pass quickly and it may be nightfall when you depart
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I FIND USEFUL FOR BADGER PHOTOGRAPHY
1. A sturdy tripod. I have a Gitzo Carbon 6X paired with a Wimberley Gimbal head. This is a substantial tripod but quite heavy to carry about. However, a tripod is necessary as badgers often emerge just as the light is fading and the last thing I want is camera shake resulting in blurred images.
2. Canon EF 70 - 200mm 2.8 lens. This is a very versatile lens which I have owned for years. It works well in low light and blurs the background giving a nice soft bokeh. This lens also allows me to stay a safe distance from the badger sett so as not to disturb them. One thing to remember when photographing badgers, or indeed any animal which has a long snout - is depth of field. With an aperture of 2.8, you will have a very narrow depth of field, so with your focus as always on the eyes, the eyes will be pin sharp, however, just check on the snout if the badger is face on to you. The snout could be soft. This isn't a problem when the animal is sideways on, but when the badger is facing you, just something to be aware of
3. A compass. Wind direction is very important when badger watching and photography. I always check which way the wind is coming from before I get settled. There's also lots of apps nowadays on your phone which could be useful.
4. A warm fleece jacket which does not rustle or make a noise.
5. Midge net if sat in a forest. Mosquitoes can eat you alive and make badger watching very unpleasant.
6. Mobile phone (switched to silent mode) in case of emergencies. It's so easy to trip in forests, especially in fading light. Also be aware that you may not get a phone signal where you are so best to let someone know where you are. I always have a What3Words for each sett I visit.