I thought it may be useful to have a comments page, so that anyone who wants to leave a general comment (as opposed to a comment on a particular post) can do so here.
Feel free to contribute if you have any questions or experiences you’d like to share.
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Or, if you want to get in touch with me off the blog, feel free to e-mail me at badgerwatchingman@googlemail.com
Hi
I have just found an active set while out Deer stalking. I would love to photograph Badgers as they are one of my goals for this year. What chance do you think I will have at this time of the year? I am a very very novice wildlife photographer.
Hi Don and welcome to the site.
Good to hear that you’ve found an active sett. In some ways you’ve done the hardest part of the work. I’d say that you’ve got a very good chance of photographing the badgers.
I’m not an expert on photography – have a look at http://www.badgerpics.org.uk and http://naturewatchingdiary.blogspot.com/ for more details on cameras etc – but I can give some hints.
My first tip, oddly, would be to leave the camera at home for your first trip or two. Get comfortable with watching badgers and then think about the photography. Get to know the badgers a little so that you are familiar with their behaviour and routine without having to worry about camera settings, turning on the flash, changing the batteries and all those little things that always distract you.
Have a look at the guide to badger watching on this site. At this time of year the badgers will be coming out at about 7.00pm, so you’ll need to be familiar enough with the sett to get there after dark (or arrive very early). A fairly dim torch will help, and badger watching folklore says that one with a red filter is best to avoid disturbing them too much. Remember that although humans are pretty helpless in the dark, badgers are in their element, so although you can’t see them they’ll still be able to hear and smell you very easily, so follow the normal fieldcraft rules as you would for the deer.
Have a go and see what you can see. After that, time to bring the camera. Again, you’ll be in darkness so a decent flash will be necessary.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on!
Badgerman
Thanks for the advice, I can’t wait to see them, even just looking at the set gets gets the heart raceing in antisipation.
Regards
Don
Hi
Went out tonight, heart was pounding (but that was probably the mile and a half walk through the woods in the dark) got down wind and waited. After about an hour that unmistakeable face popped up above ground, what an amazing feeling/sight for the first time. I watched them for about twenty mins ( they didn’t even know I was there) and then left them to carry on with thier evening.
Regards
Don
Congratulations Don – nice one! Be warned, though. For some reasons watching badgers can be strangely addictive. Almost everyone who comes across them ends up coming back for more!
I look forward to seeing your pictures in due course.
BWM
Hi BWM, I’ve got a question for you that I hope you can help out with. I’ve been keeping an eye on a Badger sett for a number of years, and have watched with interest how the number of entrances fluctuates and changes, but I’ve had next to no luck with actually observing the residents. In fact, in the 5 years that I have been observing (all too infrequently, I’m afraid) I’ve actually only seen a single badger once, even though there is evidence of multiple badgers around the area.
I have recently started leaving out healthy scraps and dry dog food (in small quantities to ensure they don’t get dependent on the free meals, of course) and have positioned the food in both a prominent place for both observation and security of mind for the badgers, though still within the copse that they live in.
I have used a red torch in the past, which was basically a cheap torch with red nail varnish painted on it. But I found that this caused the intensity of the torch to diminish to a point of being next to useless. I have never come across a torch that comes with a red globe, and don’t even know if they exist/where I would get one. Are there any other tricks to making a red torch at home? I’ve heard that taping or wrapping red cellophane around the torch can work, but I haven’t tried it myself.
Any thoughts?
Hi BWM, I’ve got a question for you. I have an active sett about 400m from my home, in a nice and hilly Hazel copse in the west of Ireland. I’ve been keeping an eye on the sett for about 8 years now, watching it grow slowly as some entrances are abandoned and new ones dug. I have tried to observe the badgers many dozens of times over those 8 years, with absolutely no success. In fact, I’ve only seen one of the badgers once, in the middle of a summer day, 6 years ago.
I have done extensive research into Badger watching, and do all of the right things, I think, such as getting there early, staying down wind, not creating a silhouette, all of that, but still no luck is to be had.
I’ve recently started leaving healthy scraps and dry dog food in strategic places that both make it easier for me to observe the badgers, but also positioned so that they won’t feel exposed at all.
My question is to do with visual aids in my attempts to observe the badgers. I have read that badgers do not seem to mind a red torch. I have not been able to purchase one of these fabled items, and so have tried painting red nail varnish on the torch lens, but found that this diminished the torch’s glow to a point of being useless. I have also read that red cellophane can be placed over the lens. I have not tried this technique, and was wondering if you knew anything about it and it’s effectiveness?
Does such a thing as a purchasable red torch exist?
Also, I am tempted to purchase a pair of night-vision binoculars, but the copse where the badgers reside is very, very dark, and I wonder if there would be enough light for these binoculars to be of any use?
Any information you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Hello and welcome Jay
That sounds great – having a sett 400m from your home! I’m sure that sooner or later the badgers will reveal themselves. It sounds like you’re doing all the right things.
Leaving out food will help to establish a habit for the badgers. You could also make sure you’re observing the right holes by sprinkling some sand or loose earth in front and checking for tracks in the morning. After that it’s just a question of watching and waiting…
As for the torch, the standard view is that badgers don’t see red light very well and so are less disturbed by it. Mind you, there are plenty of people who use a normal white torch and the badgers don’t seem too bothered, especially when they have been habituated to the light with food.
Part of me wonders whether the red light is less disturbing because it is just dimmer, not because of the colour.
I think the red cellophane idea would be fine. I have a red filter for my D-cell maglight, which is a more expensive option. I also use an Energizer LED headtorch that has a red LED.
The night vision is another option, but a whole bunch more expensive. Mine has an infra-red torch so it works in complete darkness – most have this feature. I haven’t used mine much yet because I’ve cut back on my watching since my daughter arrived, but it offers some really interesting possibilities.
Good luck – let us know how you get on.
All the best
BWM
Thanks for the reply BWM, much appreciated!
I’ve been visiting the sett, which has what appears to be about 8-10 active entrances, including two that are on the other side of a stone wall from the main sett area, every night for the last two weeks, with still no success, I’m afraid. But there seem to be so many contributing factors to a successful visit that I feel I still have a few kinks to iron out. The first is the red torch. I tried a small torch with cellophane wrapped over it, but I found it was far too dim to be of any use, so then upgraded to a more powerful torch this evening, which meant that I could place myself far further back than I would normally be.
I have been getting to the sett at about 5-5.15pm, and have left at about 7. I recently re-re-re-read Ernest Neal’s book and saw that at this time of year his badgers were coming out at about 6.30-7pm. So I believe I have to stay longer if I want to catch a glimpse of my elusive friends. I think my main problem is footwear at this stage. The terrain I have to cover to get to the sett is very short, but very muddy, so I normally wear several pairs of socks and then wellingtons. But by about 6.45 my feet are unbearably cold, to the point of being quite painful, so I have to give up my watch. I believe I may need to purchase some footwear more suitable for this activity.
I do feel however, that after many years of trying, that moment when I see the first badger pop it’s nose out of the entrance is getting close.
I will let you know how I go.
Thank you,
My daughter and I were following tacks in the snow today. Just an outdoor outing for fun. We saw the average deer, mouse and rabbit Then we were puzzled by a dog like track that went straight and ” seemed purposeful.” Thanks for the info about fox tracks! How fun to know we may have a fox living in our woods.
Thanks again,
Cinda
Hi Cinda – glad to have been of assistance! Tracking in snow is great fun, it’s good to hear that you’re outdoors and enjoying it.
All the best
BWM
Hi Badgerman
I wonder if you can help with some tracks I saw in the snow here in the west of Ireland (County Mayo). They were about the same size as fox tracks but round rather than diamond-shaped, with four round toes, quite close together, at the top of the print. Annoyingly, I didn’t have a camera with me at the time so I can’t provide any pictures for ID purposes.
I did wonder if they could be stoat or mink prints – I’ve seen both animals locally – but the pictures I’ve found on the internet don’t seem to match up. I haven’t a clue what else they could be.
Any ideas would be gratefully received!
Love the website, by the way.
Jane
Thanks Jane – and thanks for getting in touch.
I do love a good track mystery! Mink and stoat tracks, if I recall, are quite pointed and hand-shaped rather than rounded, and very small compared to a fox.
My best guesses would be either badger or cat. Both of these have rounded toes at the front.
Cat tracks are quite small and neat – four toes, no claws and a three-lobed heel pad. Have a look at https://badgerwatcher.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/cat-sat-here.jpg. The only problem with cat tracks is that they’re quite small, unless you’ve found evidence of the elusive British big cat!
The other option is badger. I always think of badgers as having a fairly big heel pad with toes like peas in a pod at the front. They have five toes, but the fifth is small and often invisible on the track. Badger front paws have long claws, shorter claws on the rear paws. Have a look at this – it’s a track of a badger next to a fox track. https://badgerwatcher.com/2009/07/19/badger-tracking/badger-and-fox-tracks/
These are just my guesses. Let me know what you think. If they don’t seem to fit the bill then I’ll sit down and scratch my head some more.
All the best
BWM
Hi again
Thanks for the ideas and links.
I’m positive they’re not cat tracks – I’ve three, so I’ve become quite familiar with their tracks over the snowy spell, and the prints were a bit too big.
I think badger is the likeliest possibility – they don’t quite (from memory) match up with the photo, but by a process of elimination that’s pretty much all they can be, and I have seen (and heard) badgers here – so they are about.
Unless, of course, there’s some sort of missing link in the vicinity – or a fox with a new pair of Christmas boots . . .
All the best
Jane
It sounds like badger then Jane, which is a relief. I’ve been looking at pictures of wolverine and bear tracks and trying to imagine them running around rural Ireland. Mind you, there were some unconfirmed reports of a wolverine seen in mid-Wales a few years ago, but that’s a different story entirely. And I digress.
One thing I’ve learned is that if a track is puzzling, look at the gait and the pattern of tracks, and also the behaviour of the animal. These will usually tell you more than the prints themselves. Individual prints can be obscured or fuzzy, but the overall pattern should be consistent. Badger tracks are typically about 40cm apart, with left and right feet each about 5cm from a centre line and the rear feet placed almost on top of the tracks of the front ones. I’m working on a (very basic) statistical analysis of track measurements to see if it is possible to identify individual badgers. This is where tracking becomes a proper research tool as well as a fascinating hobby.
But I digress again. I hope this is useful and that you identify the culprit.
All the best
BWM
Hi BWM,
Just wanted to say thanks for all the time and effort you must put into this site – it is a mine of information and I have found it extremely useful in connection with my own badgerwatching.
We are lucky enough to have more than 20 setts around our village with the nearest being only about 75 metres from our garden and for the last week or two we’ve had badgers visiting our garden each evening.
I’ve been leaving out peanuts, raisins, apples and a few blobs of peanut butter on logs, all of which they seem to enjoy.
The only minor downside to their visits is that one night they decided to explore all around the garden and dug a few small (and easily repaired) holes in our lawn and flower borders., presumably in their search for earthworms and insect larvae.
However, as a semi-professional wildlife photographer this is a small price for the opportunity to photograph badgers at such close range, within my own garden and from the relative comfort of a seat in my garden shed (complete with calor gas heater!).
Incidentally, I’ve found that they seem to be completely at ease under red light – I’ve adapted a garden floodlight by improvising a red filter for it and have also replaced the normal bulbs in a couple of strategically placed inspection lamps with the red bulbs used for electric fires.
However, so far they’ve been extremely nervous of any white light showing around the garden and have ambled off as soon as my flash units have fired, though returning a few minutes later.
I should add that in more than 25 hours of close-range watching so far I’ve actually only taken two photos (which I’m very pleased with) as I’d much rather wait and let them settle in to a regular pattern of visiting our garden rather than un-nerve them and possibly scare them off by trying to get too many photos too quickly – I’m well used to waiting many hours to get a couple of good images!
Anyway BWM, thanks again – your website has been an invaluable source of badger information and, if I may, I’d like to put a link to it on my own website.
Best wishes
Jeff
Hi Jeff – welcome aboard. Thanks for your comments and yes please, feel free to link away. I’ve had a look at your pictures too, and they are very impressive indeed. They put my efforts to shame in so many ways!
I’m also slightly jealous of you to have badgers in your garden regularly. It must be great to be able to spend time in comfort just sitting and watching. I think that one of the things that has held back my attempts to recognise badgers is that I only ever see them at a fair distance in generally poor light conditions. Being able to watch them at close quarters must make it possible to observe their behaviour and see so much more detail.
On the other hand, if I’m honest, one of the reasons I like watching badgers is because I enjoy the experience of being out in the woods after dark, seeing and hearing all the different creatures. Perhaps the ideal situation would be to have badgers in my garden and also to keep watching them ‘in the wild’.
Interesting about the red lights too. I’ve tended to rely on natural light for watching and photographing badgers (like you, I don’t want to disturb them), but I’m thinking about trying some illumination. Mind you, I bought my night vision scope last summer and it’s been gathering fluff in my rucksack since then. Perhaps it is time to make a few completely nocturnal visits to the sett and see what I can do in total darkness.
Anyhow, thanks for the comments. I look forward to seeing more pictures of badgers on your website – if they’re as good as the first two then they’ll be worth waiting for.
All the best
BWM
Thanks BWM – I’ve just added the link on my website.
Thanks also for your kind words about my photos – much appreciated.
I hope you don’t mind, but in case anyone else wants to see them here’s a link to my own website – http://www.jeffharrisonphotography.co.uk/ – where my Badger pics can be found in the Latest Additions Gallery.
I can certainly relate to your comments about being out in the woods at night. I’m often out and about before first light so as to be in position and ready to start taking photographs during the so-called photographer’s ‘golden hour’ as dawn rises. It’s the best time of day in my opinion.
Anyway, I’ll keep you posted about our local Badgers’ activities. Thanks again.
Best wishes
Jeff
Hello Bagerman
I am very new to this as I until the other night I had only ever seen a badger walking along the road or dead. The other night while out walking in the woods close to my home I saw five badgers, around 8.30 pm yet when I went the next night and watched for an hour longer there was no sign of them. Are their patterns so different each day?
Best wishes
Diane
Hi Diane, and welcome. You should be careful – I had a chance encounter with a badger in a wood five years ago and I’ve fascinated by the beasts ever since!
It sounds like a great experience though. I hope you’ll agree with me that there is something quite special in coming across badgers unexpectedly in the wild.
As to their patterns, there could be several different things happening. Were you watching the sett, or were the badgers well away from it? On average, the badgers will tend to come out at similar times, varying slowly as the seasons change. However, it can be difficult to predict what will happen on one particular evening. I’ve found that on one evening the badgers may emerge from underground and then spend considerable time in the vicinity of the sett. On another evening they may not emerge until much later, or they may come out and immediately go off foraging.
I think that there are a number of factors at work. Weather plays a part. Badgers seem less inclined to sit around the sett when it is raining, for instance. This may not be for the obvious reason, as they do not seem to mind getting wet. It may have more to do with there being more earthworms available on wet nights and so the badgers hurry off to feed. They don’t like very windy weather either – their main senses of smell and hearing are less effective in high winds so they seem less comfortable.
Another factor could be disturbance. If the sett is in a public place then people walking by earlier in the evening may have spooked them. There is also you yourself to consider – could you have done anything to put them off or let them get your scent?
The only thing to do is to go out again and have another look. You see how this can get addictive?
I hope this helps, and I hope you get to see your badgers again.
All the best
BWM
great web site.
Thank you very much Bruce. Nice of you to say so.
All the best
BWM
Great to find your site. I have spent the last 4years tracking and watching badgers. It seems the more I watch the less I know.
Also sadly I have found while these animals are protected, you can not always stop the determined from harming them.
The sets I have been watching show different use through seasons. The set I watch most is in a wood. there are 2 main sets with 2 holes and numerous sngle holes.This year there is a single cub at both sets with at least one adult female. While the sets show signs of activity in varying degrees I have never seen a boar.Is it possible this is not the main sett….. I know another main sett within 1/2 mile….Would appreciate any thoughts you may have
Hi Sue, and welcome!
I agree wholeheartedly with you. Each time I discover something new about badgers it throws up more questions. I’m still surprised that for such relatively common animals they aren’t yet fully understood.
It’s interesting to hear about your badgers and the different uses of the sett during the year. This is the big question I have at the moment – how and why badgers move between different parts of the sett, and between different setts. I know that they do move, but I don’t know what triggers it and what determines the move. Do all the badgers move? I know that females will often make a separate home when they have cubs, but this doesn’t account for all the moves. Is it related to dominance, in which case is the dominant or non-dominant badgers that move? There is some evidence that badgers will move holes to avoid infestation from fleas and ticks, and a possibility that they move in response to a build-up of carbon dioxide, which takes time to dissipate in an unventilated hole. So perhaps the movement is just random, and there’s no meaning to it? And this is within one sett. What role do subsidiary setts play?
See – here I go again. More questions than answers, I’m afraid. I hope that one day I’ll start to learn the answers, but in the meantime I’ll carry on enjoying spending time with these fascinating animals. I hope you find my odd ramblings enjoyable too.
All the best
BWM
Hi BWM,
In case you haven’t already seen it, there’s an interesting article about ‘Badgers and the moon’ in the latest edition of BBC Wildlife magazine – here’s a link to the web version –
http://www.bbcwildlifemagazine.com/british-wildlife/badger-and-moon?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=&utm_content=Find%20out%20more&utm_campaign=Wildlife%2029%2F09%2F10
Still got Badgers visiting my garden by the way – now coming in groups of up to 5 at a time and eventhough they’ve been coming every night for almost 8 months I never tire of seeing them. I’ve also now got quite a library of Badger images!!
All the best,
Jeff Harrison http://www.jeffharrisonphotography.co.uk
Hi, what a fabulous website. I have really enjoyed looking at it.
We have had badgers visiting our garden since the summer and by putting out peanuts we have been able to stop them from digging up the lawn.
I think we had a young clan to start with as you could sit out in the garden and they would feed within a few feet of you. They even took the fat balls off the bird hanger. We were able to film them quite a bit and you may enjoy looking at the badger video clips on our website.
Unfortunately a more seasoned badger got wind of the peanuts and we tend to see him now, rather than the young group and he is a lot harder to watch.
We have noticed that as the nights draw in, the badgers are more skittish. I wondered whether they were clashing more with people having to put a light on to let their dogs out. They used to be really tolerant of a torch, but not anymore.
What do you think?
Amanda
westcountrywildlife.com
Hi Amanda and welcome!
Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply – things have been a bit busy around here lately. It sounds like you’ve had some great close encounters with your badgers. I’ve had a brief look at your website and it looks very interesting indeed – I’ll definitely be back for a proper look soon and give it the time it deserves.
As for your badgers getting more nervous, perhaps this is down to the foolishness of youth wearing off and the badgers becoming naturally more cautious as they get older. You mention a torch – does this mean that you watch them by torchlight? I’ve never tried to get badgers used to lights, but I’ve read accounts of people who have, and a common theme is to let the badgers get used to the light until they almost stop noticing it. This may mean starting out with a dim light and increasing its brightness, but the important thing may be to have it on all the time (or at least at a regular time) so the badgers come to think of it as normal, rather than having a torch shone on them personally. I don’t know whether this is possible (neighbours and electricity bills may not like it) but it could be worth a try.
Thanks for joining in, and I’ll be off to have a good look at your site soon.
All the best
BWM
Hi i have just come across this site by accident and i have to say how great it is, so much information about badgers and wildlife for people that are not into the heavy going technical stuff just get great enjoyment out of seeing wildlife i have really learnt a lot just reading all the articles on the site and i am following your regular updates,i have badgers local to me which i have seen in the flesh this summer they dont seem so active now but cant wait till the spring hopefully seeing some cubs keep up the good work paul
Hi Paul and welcome – thank you for your kind words.
Like the badgers I seem to have slowed down for the winter, but it’s good to look forward to spring and hopefully the new cubs. Mind you, winter is a good time to check out badger setts (less undergrowth) and the snow is great for tracking. It’s still a good time to get out and about.
Good luck with your badgers!
All the best
BWM
hi mr BWM this is an experimental non-admin cross platform test for an application I have just created (it may or not work) as it is an rss feed from here to a facebook uri, then left as a dofollow pingback
fingers crossed @marsden badger group platform developer central
btw did I ever credit you for having the most inspired badger blog ??
well it is – well researched & written in a most eloquent manner lucky old Bedfordshire Brocks
Thanks Spiney, appreciated.
Although I must confess that I’m not on facebook myself, so I’m not entirely sure what goes on there. I am such a luddite in some respects!
Hi,
I just stumbled over our homepage, and I m very impressed!
Badgers are my “project” since 2008. Im taking pictures and videos. It looks like the people in england are more interested in badgers than here in Germany. Most of the literature I found about them is from england.
If you are interested to see a view photos:
http://www.naturfotografen-forum.de/o243580-Die+Dachse
http://www.naturfotografen-forum.de/o353937-Die+Dachse+2010
I wish you lots of nice observations during the coming season!
Regards, Eike
Hi Eike and welcome!
Thank you for your kind comments. I don’t know much about badgers in Germany, but I’ll enjoy looking at your site and learning more. Badgers are popular in Britain, but you might have heard about the Government’s plans to cull them to control Bovine TB. Most people are strongly against this because the badger is one of the best-loved animals in this country, so let’s hope we can change the plans.
All the best
BWM
Hello. I’m a regular reader.
I found this discussion thread on W.A.B, and thought it would interest you:
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/wildlife-photography/85879-careful-badger-setts.html
Hi George – good to hear from you
I haven’t been on WAB for a while, which is inexcusable because it’s a great site and packed with so much information.
This is a sad tale. It is against the law to ‘interfere’ with a badger sett, but I guess there is interpretation what this means. I don’t think watching them should count as interference, unless you were really sitting on top of them or had spotlights going or something. It would be a sorry situation if setts were being ploughed over or built on yet the law starts going after the people who keep an eye out and try to keep the badgers from harm.
All the best
BWM
Not a nightjar . . . ?
Just wondering if you could help with IDing a mysterious sound, which I’ve heard here the past couple of summers. I initially thought it was a nightjar, but after finally getting round to listening to some recordings I don’t think it is after all – it’s deeper and less twittery, with a slower ‘pulse’. The nearest I can get to describing it is a sheep baaing under water. Not much to go on, I know, but it might be something obvious! I’m in the west of Ireland, by the way, if that helps.
Thanks!
Jane
Hi Jane – thanks for your great comment. I do enjoy a good mystery!
Unfortunately I have absolutely no idea what it may be. Presumably you’ve rule out underwater sheep in the vicinity? The only other thing I can think of is grouse, but you maybe familiar with those and ruled them out already.
What sort of habitat are you in? Fields? Woods? That may give a clue.
The RSPB website is a great resource, and they have recordings of calls for just about any bird you can think of – see http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/a/
You could also try the folks on the Wild About Britain form (http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/index.php). There’s a lot of experts on there, and they’re a friendly bunch, so someone there may be able to help.
Lastly, have you tried recording it? If you have a video recorder of any type that captures sound (even a phone camera) then you should be able to get it on tape.
I hope this helps a little, even if I can’t answer the question.
All the best
BWM
Hi BWM
An update on the nightjar/not nightjar query. I went to the wildaboutbritain site, as you suggested, and got some good ideas and links – the upshot is that I’m pretty sure it’s snipe drumming. There are loads in the area, so I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. (And the underwater sheep tend to be rather quieter!)
All the best
Jane
Hi there
I was woken early this very warm morning at about 4a.m. by the sound of crunching and snuffling on our drive outside our garage! I looked outside from my window above but could see nothing. Sounded too large for a hedehog and too snuffly for a fox. Went to get my torch and shone it down on a badger that was clearly enjoying our hazelnuts! Quick search online and I come across your diary with the hazelnut hypothesis which I believe to be true….Hope s/he will return for more!
Rosie
I was woken at about 4.00am this morning by the sound of crunching and snuffling through the open window: sounded too big for a hedgehog and too snuffily for a fox. Went to get my torch and shone it down on a badger on the drive below who was making good work of our hazelnuts. Just found your diary containing your hazelnut hypothesis which I wholeheartedly support!
Rosie
Hi Rosie – thanks for taking the trouble to write in and share your story.
It’s good to hear that there is another witness to badgers eating hazelnuts. I was pretty sure this was happening, but I couldn’t confirm it. I think we’ve added another small piece to the body of knowledge about badgers and their habits, which is good.
Hopefully you don’t mind sharing your nuts with the badgers? The squirrels ate all mine a long time ago, but I’d be happy for any badgers to take their fill.
All the best
BWM
Hi, this is Ann from Selby Badger Watch. Thanks for adding our website to your interesting blog, which, if you give me permission, I will link back to your site.
I think anyone who is interested in badger watching will learn a great deal from you, including myself. With the dark nights upon us, I am now limited to using my stealth cams for capturing badger behaviour, but it’s still a fantastic way to learn more about this enchanting creature. As I type this post, my cameras are fixed in trees near to where badgers play, including two cubs. The bracken is still quite high, but I hope to capture footage of the cubs, just to reassure myself that they are okay. We have a lot of badger digging and persecution in Yorkshire and you never know what you will find when you visit a sett. Heartbreaking at times and John Darbyshire has written a very chilling poem about this which I have now added to my site. Thank you again for your great blog. Ann
Hi Ann, and welcome
Yes, I came across your website and – if I may say so – I think it’s excellent. Definitely one of my favourite badger group sites. And yes, I’d be happy to link up.
I do like the stealth cam footage. I remember looking at these cameras in a sporting goods store in the US a few years ago (when the exchange rate was really good) and they were much cheaper than in the UK. I thought about getting one and then changed my mind, and I’ve regretted it ever since. One day…
And I have to ask – is there a second installment of the story of the man with the spear? Or is it a cliffhanger ending? You see, I hope you don’t mind me referring to you as slightly mad – it was meant in a positive way. Most people I talk to on a daily basis have never been badger watching, and they don’t really understand the sort of things that can happen. It’s good to find a kindred spirit!
All the best
BWM
Ah! the man with the spear ! Yes his camp fire is still near to my badger setts, but I am at a loss as to what he is about. He’s done no real harm although I was suspicious that he was after taking the buzzard chicks. In the event, I ignored all my own advice and confronted him and asked him what he was doing. Anyway I got talking to him and he did in fact lead me to where the buzzards were nesting. Nevertheless it is quite unnerving bumping into such a character in the stillness of the forest. I love being in the forests, the quietness, the wildlife who pass by not knowing I am there. I know I do sound a bit loopy, but I always leave a little something for them, just to say thank you, but that’s me !!
Hi, I’m a young birder from bedfordshire and I must say your blog is super! It’s interesting reading about your bird list in beds. I would say you are taking it slowly, but that’s a good thing. My 5 month beds list is at 53, so your just beating me! (But I have quite a long time on my side!) I envy you for the red kites and the goosanders, both new for me anywhere across the country. And also, the birds you were asking about are greenfinches. You can make out the yellow bar on the wing. Working on some more local greenfinches at the moment, only 2 records at stewartby lake and RSPB the lodge for me. I would actually be on a lot less, but a recent trip to flitwick manor park produced a singing adult Chiffchaff and 2 Red Legged Partridges which were followed by 1 Great Black Backed Gull, 1 Lesser Black Backed Gull, 1 Redwing and a Dunnock around Stewartby lake.
My only badger record was while I was strolling around RSPB the lodge following some calls of Jays. I stumbled across a pheasant, 4 Long Tailed Tits and a first beds Kestrel while following this badger, before snapping some good snaps, although the light was pretty poor by the time I caught up with it. Keep up the good birding, I’ll try to get you and each 55 by Sunday, when I’m heading for the 4 Scaups at brogborough lake!
Hi EJ – good to hear from you and thanks for the comment
Congratulations on your 53 in just five months – It’s taken me three years to reach that number…!
Glad to hear I was right about the greenfinches. They confused me by being in a flock. I get 4-5 at a time on the bird feeders in the garden, but I’ve never seen a whole flock before. Must be a winter thing. Good to hear about the badger too.
I really must get over to the Lodge at Sandy one of these days. It isn’t that far away, and there’s always good reports from there. What I wonder is, are there more birds there, or are there just more birders? I don’t know if there are similar birds around here, but just no-one to see them and recognise them.
I suspect that you may well pass me over the weekend with the scaups. Mind you, I’ve just read a report of a flock of crossbills in the area. I’ve never seen one of these anywhere, so I think I’ll take a walk and see if I can spot them…
All the best
BWM
Hi again, just thought I might let you know, I’ve officially counted my Bedfordshire list and it totals at just 51, two less than I thought. I may still pass you on my trip to brogborough but it’s unlikely, although I’ve failed to get Pochard on my beds list yet, and I’ve heard from a feeing over 350 Pochard were present last week let alone the 4 Scaups.
On the topic of crossbills, Ive come across a ‘Possible’ one at the lodge but failed to photograph it so cannot be sure. I hate having to put down my possible sightings. If I had photographed some of my possibles, my beds list could be on 60 right now.
I do find the lodge can be slightly oversees but it’s nice to walk around and see the mammals and butterflies there as well as the birds. I saw a Kestrel, Goldcrest, Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Pheasant, Dunnock and likely (but not included in my beds list because unconfirmed) Bullfinch. It’s my main 2012 target as I haven’t yet confirmed a sighting of one.
I live in Flitwick (If you know where that is) and have recently found flitwick moor nature reserve to be a birdwatchers heaven. Birds like chaffinches, wrens, great tits, robins and blackbirds were present in great numbers but no unusual birds about. Although I’ve also found the local ‘country park’ to provide some great birds. Chiffchaffs, Red-Legged Partridges and tens of blue tits never fail to show well when I visit. I’ve even had a female Reed Bunting there which at the time was a beds first.
Will post again after my brogborough trip on Sunday,
E J Diver
P.S I’m still growing in envy over those red kites
One more thing, typing on the iPad means my spellings get mixed up so where it says feeing in my previous post it means friends.
Have fun working out any other autospell typos!
I cannot edit my posts so autospell on the iPad gets very annoying.
In my last post, feeing means friend and the lodge is a but overrated not oversees.
Have fun trying to guess more autospell typos.
Hi E J
I’ve only been to Flitwick Moor once (it’s on the site here somewhere) and I agree that it’s a great place. There have been reports of otters there, which would be a fantastic thing to see here in Bedfordshire.
As for the Red Kites, have a look in Steppingley, on the minor road that goes off past the French Horn. Not the road to the church, the other one – past the playing field. They’ve been reliably spotted by the copse at the end of that road…
All the best – and good luck at Brogborough!
BWM
Hi. Sorry it’s been a while, I never got round to getting to brogborough but have reached 57 county birds since we last spoke. The additions were a Shoveler at Priory CP, a Pochard and Kingfisher at the same site, a Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush in Luton and a beautiful Red Kite which flew over the car in Woburn. I tried at steppingly for a kite, I was desperate to see these amazing birds, especially after my friend came home on Wednesday and said ”I’ve seen a Red Kite”. I was only driving home from a morning out, I instantly noticed it’s large size and forked tail. As for the kingfisher, that was incredible too. They are wonderful, acrobatic and colourful. Ive also been back to Flitwick Moor, no otters but what I think was a Reed Bunting there. I’ve got a reed bunting on my county list anyway, so I didn’t go to extreme lengths to get a positive ID.
Nice to catch up, sorry it’s a bit late.
Happy Birding and Badger-Watching!
Hi E J
That’s great news about the Red Kite! They are definitely around these parts, but they do seem to be elusive when you actually go looking for them. Good on the Kingfisher too. I haven’t seen one of these for years, not since I lived up north. I’ll have to check out Priory CP one day, as well as have a return visit to Flitwick Moor.
And I’ve added a few more to my list too, mostly ordinary birds I just hadn’t ticked off before, like a Moorhen and the Black-headed Gulls at Woburn, plus a Tufted Duck on the pond at Woburn today and a chance sighting of a Little Egret on one of the lakes near Bedford. Mind you, I’ve never positively seen a Reed Bunting, so that’s on my list for the future.
All the best
BWM
Sorry to say, I’ve had lots more today after a bit of twitching. 3 SMEW flew from Millbrook Pillinge (That’s the lake next to Stewartby) and I scoped the highlight attraction of the wintering COMMON SCOTER. A flock of c40 PINTAIL were present to, and a first county flock of Wigeon were on the ice. I’m up to 63, I’ve lost track to as what you’re on! The other bird was a Bullfinch on the same site too. I failed to locate the Med Gull which was 99% likely to have been in the roost (Seeming as it was reported an hour before I was in the hide, and an hour after).
The Little Egret sounds great, I’ve only ever seen 1 in Norfolk on my holiday late(ish) last year.
Just wondering, what is your county total?
Awww….. And about the Reed Bunting, you could, if you had £2.50 and an afternoon to spare try the Pillinge, which is a wetlands reserve next to stewartby. It’s attracted 3 SMEW, a Common Scoter, c40 Pintail, 100+ Teal, 6 Wigeon, 31 Canada Geese, 4+ Gadwall, 2 Kestrels and some Deer just this Saturday afternoon among 14 other species so you can get some other county ticks here. But hide 2 on the walk for me USUALLY (2/3 visits) produces Reed Buntings as well as Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, Pheasants, Dunnocks, Long-Tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coots, Moorhens, Gadwall and Chaffinches (All of which I saw this Sat.). No Badgers on the site yet!
Hi EJ – I think you’re definitely well ahead of me now!
I’ve not heard of the Pillinge – it sounds like a good spot. There’s lots of species that I’ve not seen before, like the Scoter and the Wigeon. And I still want to see a Reed Bunting.
Mind you, I think spotting a Med Gull in a flock is probably beyond me at the moment, unless I knew it was there. But it does show what can turn up in Bedfordshire.
All the best
BWM
Sparrowhawk to add, but not much happening lately.
No time to twitch, just local wandering. The Pillinge/Millbrook Pillinge/Marston Vale Wetland Reserve is a wetland reserve, with 2 hides overlooking a small lake and a large lake. It is located next to the rather more well known Stewartby Lake, which is also part of the Marston Vale Millenium Country Park. The main hide overlooks the main lake, which has almost always got something interesting on it (Had a Merganser, Great Northern Diver and Common Scoter this last 6 months, all county rarities). With my luck the only one I saw was the Scoter. The smaller hide overlooks a small lake (Although the only interesting Bird I’ve seen on it is Gadwall). But the main bird supply comes in the reeds opposite, the trees to the left but mainly the feeders. Great Spitted Woodpeckers are unmistakable and so unique as the feed on the feeders, with all the Tits and Finches. Sightings there include Cetti’s Warbler, Garganey and Bearded Tit as well as the more common Reed Bunting. I had a male RB amongst the Reeds at Flitwick Country Park a few weeks ago, as it fed with tens of wrens and a couple of chiffchaffs.
County total is about 67ish now, and the county year list is about 58. Will confirm numbers when I get back to you next.
Never heard of a Great Spitted Woodpecker myself, but I’ve seen one at Marston vale Pillinge, or my last post says so anyway. I meant great Spotted as you may have guessed.
Some Lists, all year lists from 2012 so far. I’ve put in some Birds I’ve seen at the sites, see if you can make something new of them, and maybe get yourself down there. The best Birds I’ve seen in the county are all at specific sites, so I haven’t put down any including Birds, next to my county lists.
County Totals and Town Totals:
County List (After 6.5 months): 64
County Year List: 58
Flitwick List: 39
Flitwick Year List: 31 (Including Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Red Kite)
A few specific site Lists (All from Beds):
Marston Vale Wetlands/The Pillinge List: 41 (Including Smew, Common Scoter and Pintail)
Stewartby Lake and Surrounds: 34 (Including Great Black-Backed Gull, Kestrel and Gadwall)
Priory Counry Park: 23 (Including Grey Heron, Kingfisher and Gadwall)
Flitwick Manor Park: 16 (Including Buzzard and Chiffchaff)
Garden List (NOT FLY-OVERS): 17 (Including Dunnock, Long-Tailed Tit, Redwing and Common Gull)
Yes, a Common Gull and a Black-Headed Gull landed in my Garden, which is the size of a half a tennis court!
Hope this is interesting, get back to you soon.
What do you mean spotting a Med Gull in a flock of Black-Headed Gulls is beyond you! I think it’s beyond all us ametuers at the moment, but I can tell a Partridge from a Pigeon and a Buzzard from a Blackbird, which is enough to be able to tick off 77 Bird Species across the UK without any doubt. Although I do struggle seperating Red Kites from Wrens, size-wise they’re so alike!
Anyway, my lists. I have my full total from various sites/counties and locations, with a few highlights in brackets.
Unless a year list, the site total is from August the 20th 2011, although in some cases I’ve only visisted the site once or twice.
Beds County List: 64
Herts County List: 36
Flitwick List: 39
Beds County Year List: 58
Flitwick Year List: 31 (Including 4 Birds of Prey: Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite)
Marston Vale WR/The Pillinge: 41 (Including Smew, Common Scoter, Pintail and Reed Bunting, yes, a Reed Bunting :-D)
Stewartby Lake and Surrounds: 34 (Including Gadwall, Great Black-Backed Gull, Kestrel and Lapwing)
Priory Country Park: 23 (Including Grey Heron, Gadwall and KINGFISHER)
Flitwick Manor Park: 16 (Including Goldfinch, Buzzard and CHIFFCHAFF)
UK List: 77
UK Year List: 66
Now my very short Badger Sightings List:
1 Badger from an active sett at RSPB: The Lodge, 26/10/11.
Thats it I’m afraid!
Hope its interesting, get back to you soon.
E J
There’s nothing like feeding the ducks! The Canada Geese are getting very aggressive across the country now, I saw a fight earlier this week. Onlu males do it, that’s one of the only ways to tell a male Canada goose from a female. They do it to win over the females and get rid of all competition. The top dog, or top goose in this instance, will get the female. All males are looking for a breeding partner, in almost all species. The Canada Geese are already fighting for the females, and other geese like the greylags, etc. are also fighting but not all birds fight for love. Some birds just mate up, and the female won’t change her mind, which is more than can be said for as Canada goose, which doesnt mate for life. I doubt you’ll quite see a Common Scoter anytime soon, seeming as before thi year, the last county record was in 2004. As for the Reed Bunting, just keep on trying.
Been reading about, there is currently a green-winged teal nearby (It’s like a common real but has awhile stripe toward the neck) which is a scarcity to the whole country as oppose to just Beds. Also lots of Wheatears, Grey Wagtails and Stonechat, all Birds I’ve never seen across the Uk let alone Bedfordshire.
Some good posts up recently, very interesting, and amusing at times!
Speak soon,
EJ
Hi Badgerman, I am finding your site really helpful. I have recently found out that I have some Badgers close to where I live. I am a nature lover & would love to find the sett ( I would keep the location a secret) I have been setting up my Bushnell trail cam & managed to get sightings in 3 different places.The last one was at 4am which is close to sunrise this time of year.My question is would this Badger be heading back to the sett ? If so this would give me some indication of where it is.
Best wishes Clare.
Hi Clare – thanks for taking the time to write in.
I’m sure that your detective work will pay off, as it sounds like you’re close. Yes, I’d imagine that a badger would be heading home at 4am, although with badgers nothing is certain.
The best help I’ve found in locating setts is to look at the landscape. Look for places where there is a rise in the ground with trees around it – a bank in a wood, a hedgerow, a small dingle, an old quarry etc. Anything that will allow a sideways tunnel and that has reasonable cover.
After a while, you start to recognise some places as ‘badgery’. You’ll see…
Good luck, and all the best
BWM
Thanks for all your help BMW
Hi BWM
You probably don’t remember me as I commented about a year and a half ago, upon finding a badger sett in the winter. Well a year and a half has moved on and I am yet to see the elusive badger for the first time. I thought all was lost as all setts seemed to be inactive with no sign of recent activity around the sett entrances. However, recently I popped to have a look at the sett and out of the 14 sett entrances, 1 of them appeared to be active. There was clear sign of fresh earth that had been scrapped out of one of the holes. I laid down some berries and returned later in the day to see if anything appeared. I made sure I was down wind, and positioned myself at the base of a tree approximately 10-15metres away from the sett entrance, I crept as quietly as I could towards my hideout spot as I have to walk within 7m of the sett entrance to reach the destination. I arrived at 6:35 it was fairly sunny, with a few clouds in the sky and it was pretty windy. I waited until 9:10 before giving up and trudging home. Still no luck – any suggestions?
Hi There BWM,
It’s lovely to read of your encounters with our beautiful British badgers. I’m not sure if you’ve heard about the proposed badger culling that’s going to be taking place next month – not too far away from your good self.
My question is: do you know of any good ways to try and keep badgers from leaving their setts at night? There are a lot of people trying to prevent this slaughter from happening, or at the very least trying to minimise the deaths / maiming caused. Do you have any advice you could give?
Thank you so much for your time. :0)
Debbie
hi ya Chris, put some penuts and sultanas down every 3rd day a few times then wotch ,better if you have a tree close by to climb Brock wont smell you as much ,im wotching two clans at mo Wicked but tiring .hi ya Badger wotching man
We have seven badgers who come into our garden most nights,they are not worried about light we have flood lights that come on. We also have the back door open and talk about them. They wait for me to put there food out ,They have also decided this year to re-design our garden.
We live on a new development and our property fronts onto a badger corridor.We have fought with the developers to put this in place properly and as plans say it should be.They have now more or less complied. We recently noticed a new sett which we can see from our bedroom window and were delighted to see last night two badgers. They are wonderful creatures.
I’m needing some help with badger sounds. Is there a way you may be able to help? My email is susantierney84@gmail.com. Thanks!
Hello Susan – thanks for dropping in. What sort of help do you need?
All the best
BWM