Part of our morning walk takes us a long a short section of footpath between a couple of minor roads. The path is heavily wooded, and bound by small schools and farmland.
Over the years, we often see excavations in a bank along onside of the path. The burrows have a wide entrance, fronted by a lot of soil. It is often difficult to ascertain how old the excavations are and whether the burrows are in use.
Although the Memsahib often attributes these burrows to badgers, I've been a bit more skeptical. There are a lot of rabbits in the area. The soil is soft, bordering on sandy, therefore prone to erosion. A small rabbit sized hole can easily be eroded to quite a large hole. The burrow entrances were no more than two or three footsteps from the footpath, making me dubious about them being made by badgers.
Until I saw this...
Lovely, 'fresh' grass and straw scattered outside the front of the hole.
Next morning, we returned with a trail cam, which I set up on the holly tree to the right of this photo. I've been reluctant to put out a trail cam until now due to the lack of cover for the camera from the footpath. Some enterprising oik is bound to steal my trail cam if they spot it. Anyway, apart from it being a little bit painful getting past the holly leaves and briar thorns, this was a perfect spot for a trail cam - if a little close to the sett's entrance.
After a couple of nights out, I retrieved my trail cam to find it wasn't pointing downwards enough. Still, I got this footage of one badger coming out of the sett.
I must admit I a very surprised to see a badger sett so close to a public footpath. Granted, it isn't the most heavily used of paths. In fact it is a rare event for us to encounter anyone on the path on our morning walks. Nevertheless, it is used by pedestrians, cyclists and dogwalkers. Then I read up about badgers and discovered that they do live and dig up setts in close proximity to human habitation - sometimes even in gardens!
My old girl and I are very pleased to have a badger sett; and on our daily morning constitutional to boot.
90% luck, 5% field craft, 5% camera skills.
Really nice to see Angus and good background info I guess most folks don't even notice it, which is no bad thing
Thanks, Scozmos.
I forgot to say about the grass/straw...badgers clear out their setts, every now and again. I've seen videos of them backing out of their setts, pulling out stale bedding and dumping it.
Moving on. First day I put out my trial cam, I placed it too high up the Holly trunk and not pointing down sufficiently. I returned later in the day to place my trail cam lower down. The badger or badgers took a keen interest in it. First a still for those who do not like videos.
Now the video
Next action is to work out how many badgers are using this sett.
The sett is placed along an animal highway, at a convenient position for them to cross from the footpath to a fence leading to farmland. My trail cam caught a Roe deer
This 'Wild' animal.
And a bank vole. It is more obvious in the video my trail cam took, but only just. Hence why I've posted a blob photo.
Looks either like some creature from Star Wars - the one's with the glowing eyes or a scene more suited to All hallows eve.
Firstly, I notice I have set up the incorrect month in the timestamp. I'm convinced I set it to the correct month, but who knows in my dotage. I've corrected the month, but not for the latest imagery. Sigh. Add on four months to get the correct date.
I think I was very lucky getting camera footage of badgers around this sett, when I first put out my trail cam. After retrieving and then putting out trail cam for a further two nights, nothing was captured. I repeated this exercise, and only got a badger scurrying through. I then left my trail cam out for a week. The various fireworks going off around the area may have disrupted the animals. This weekend is going to be tough for them.
In any case I think the sett is either a secondary, satellite one or has been abandoned; several times, probably given the number and state of entrance holes. One possible reason for the sett being abandoned is this...
The sett is three strides from a public footpath, which, although sparsely use is nevertheless used. My trail cam footage reveals that the dog does not appear to enter the sett. I hope its owner called it back quite sharpish. Though many dogs around this area are completely untrained.
9/11/2024 update.
This is what I've been attempting to film - well, my trail cam does the actual filming. I just need to get the thing pointed in the correct direction.
I don't think the badger stayed in this sett long, though it is hard to tell. There are several entrances to this sett further along the bank to the right of this one. As you can see from the timestamp, a badger goes past my trail cam 18 seconds after the first badge enters it.
I've set up my trail cam thus: On triggering take three photographs, then take a 20 second video (I normally set this to 10 seconds, but set a higher value this time round to get more action), rest 10 seconds, repeat if triggered.
It is possible the badger turned round and exited this sett almost immediately after entering it. Or, it emerged out of one of the other exits and came scurrying back to cross in front of my trail cam. This is one reason I get my trail cam to take photographs immediately after triggering. Animals move so fast, they can go out of shot before a trail cam has time to trigger and start filming; it can take upto 2 seconds for a trail cam to start filming after triggering. Whereas it can take as little as 0.3 seconds to take a photo after triggering. Though an animal can cover about 1m in 0.3 seconds, and so be out of shot.
No further badger sightings were to be had until six nights later.
It is hard to tell if this badger was roaming and had nothing to do with this sett or if this was it's sett, but it came out of one of the other entrances. I suspect the former.
Here's the most extraordinary footage. Well, to me as one of the unwashed, uneducated masses.
Is the sett really abandoned? Or is this an inexperienced fox, who might get a nasty surprise and come out worst if it came nose to nose with a badger in an active sett?
9/11/2024 update. I edited the mouse caching a nut video to remove the few seconds of black screen at its beginning.
These two pieces of footage seals it for me in thinking this sett is abandoned. I have over 75 stills and over 25 videos of this mouse in and around the entrance to this sett.
It's a right pain having to plough through yet more photos of this thing. Anyway, here it is, caching a nut.
I'll take a call on whether to place my trail cam out again. I think it is worthwhile to try for another week. Who knows, the badger or badgers will make more of an appearance once fireworks are no longer being set off.
It has been an exciting escapade. Certainly helps buoy the mood, what with no sightings of the sun for over a week.
How exciting Angus, a right Inspector Cleuso you have been! It is great to see what goes on after dark, when we are sleeping.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
A lot happening this last week. Last video is particularly entertaining.
I've had to upload these videos to YouTube as they are larger than the maximum permitted size for uploading to the RSPB site.
I feel our little mouse is deceased. No videos of the beastie all week. Hardly surprising considering the number of predators roaming through the site.
I also have a feeling that there are two badgers. One slim and svelte. One on the larger side. Possibly a juvenile and full grown adult.
One badger appears to be house (or sett) hunting.
Here is it's initial foray.
It returns about an hour later.
Unwelcome neighbours. Look closely at bottom left hand of video.
More unwelcome visitors, bringing an unsavoury element to the neighbourhood. Now, this is a good example of how fast animals move across our field of vision. My trail cam takes about 0.2 or 0.3 seconds to trigger and then take a photo. Look at right hand side of photo, near the bottom.
Badger returns for another check of sett. Hmmm, I smell a rat.
What, we wonder, has caused this badger to move so quickly, as if seeking sanctuary in the sett?
And now, a foxy encounter...but is this a second badger as it appears much bigger than the one earlier. However, it was a little cold last night.
I love the way the badger shot out to see who goosed it, then more or less went come 'ere you, do that to me will ya? I'll show you what for. As it chases after the badger.
I didn't put the trail cam out today. Too busy. Will put it out tomorrow morning, and see what happens.