Aug 13th, 2015

Author: donich_admin

Improvised ‘Hide’

I had an idea the other night. When we were at Aigas last year we watched badgers from a hide which had wide open windows right close to them (so close you hear them hoovering up the nuts) and glancing out of the kitchen window just as it was getting dark, I saw one of our badgers, and it occurred to me that I could try to improvise a similar setup.

I wouldn’t even have attempted this with a pine marten (they are very very skitty and would be straight off if they heard a sound), but the badgers are pretty phlegmatic, so I very quietly eased the window open and leaned out with my camera at full zoom. I must have only been about a yard from him, and I am sure he knew I was there, but he just went on steadily munching.

Unfortunately he refused to turn round until he had more or less finished his nuts, so I got lots of pictures of his back; but just as he was going, I got one really good one. I am going to try that again next time I see them – and give it a go with video.