Badger scratching

Until recently, the only choice I had in getting photographs of them was to use flash.  I would clamp 2 units, a metre or so away from the camera (one as the main light source and the other, closer to the camera, as a fill-in, around 1 stop less than the main.)  I would use Fuji Sensia 100 and from 11 feet use an aperture of f5.6, and this was using fairly powerful Metz hammerhead flash units!  Unless the site was visited regularly, allowing the badgers to become accustomed to the flash, quite often I would get just one image as the badger would be spooked, only re-emerging when it felt safe enough to do so.  But with digital, shooting at high iso’s is now possible with fantastic results and now means I can shoot up until half an hour after sunset.  To keep them in view for as long as possible I sprinkled sultanas and raisins around the sett and on the main mound.

Badger emerging

I wouldn’t usually have attempted this kind of image, above, before digital as I felt I was putting too much stress on the animal to emerge, regardless of whether it felt ok to do so.  This is especially the case during a dry summer, when they may need to travel distances to find food.  However, on this occasion, it took no notice of me whatsoever.  Afterall, I was obscured by camouflage netting, a good 2 meres above it’s hole.

 I used a NIkon D300 either with a 300mm f2.8 or 70-200 f2.8 lens with iso’s ranging from 800 to 3200 but would, whenever possible use the lowest. 

 Come summer, I will be forced to work on another nearby sett and will again have to resort to flash.     

But watching and photographing badgers isn’t just about badgers, it’s the experience of being in a woodland at sunset and into darkness when it really comes alive.  Some of my most memorable experiences when photographing badgers haven’t involved badgers at all.  I recall, 18 years ago when attempting to photograph a badger crossing a stream, in a remote Welsh valley, a buzzard flying low and fast and just a few metres away between pine trees.  I could hear it move through the wind and as if once wasn’t enough, it did it again the following evening too.  On that same night, a wren perched less than a metre away and sang.  It was almost deafening.  I remember watching a vixen move through the woods with a cub held by its scruff in her mouth and more recently, a tawny owl, perching less than 10 feet away, seemingly oblivious to my presence.

Almost three years ago, to the day, I fulfilled an ambition I had held for years, to photograph common buzzards in the wild, in Kent.  Why?  Well, up until 10 years ago they were quite a rare sight around these parts (North Downs) but over the years they have moved further and further east to a point that it’s now unusual not to see one while out on the hills.   There are now close to a thousand pairs in Kent and I personally know of 3 nests which I am dying to work on over the coming years. 

OK, so they are incredibly common in the west and north and hardly magnificent golden eagles but there is just something about them. The way they soar, their call…….. As I visited my woodland birds feeding station over the years or, indeed, sat in the hide photographing them, the desire would burn deeper and deeper to photograph this beautiful bird.  I am privileged to have access to a lot of land within their territory and so, the previous October, decided to commit the following 4-5 months to this project.  But everything, and I mean everything, had to be by the book.  Birds of prey are notoriously shy and keen-eyed birds so, unlike a blue tit at a nut feeder, where you can come and go from your hide without them so much as batting an eyelid, with buzzards, in this part of the world, not a chance!

The following was then carried out.

* 5′ sq wooden hide erected (adjacent to a hedge to break up it’s outline) under cover of darkness, so buzzards didn’t associate it with  humans.

* Hide left alone for several weeks.

* Stockpile of road-kill rabbits stored in freezer.  Thanks Martina!

* December. Once a week.  Rabbit put down pre-dawn in front of hide.  At night, if rabbit not devoured by birds, was taken and put up a tree to stop foxes taking it.  Put back down following morning…….

* Continue and wait for hard weather to commence photography.

In mid January we had hard frosts lasting a couple of weeks so I took the opportunity to get some shots.  I entered the hide 2 hours before sunrise.  11 hours later one arrived and fed but the light was poor.  It got terribly cold in the hide, very rarely going above freezing.  I would, occasionally, ignite the stove for a few minutes, wrap a blanket around me and wear a balaclava.  Winter, neoprene lined boots made by Le Chameau helped keep my feet warm (though they froze after 5 hours). I firmly believe in making yourself as comfortable as possible, since the more comfortable you are, the longer you will wait and the more likely you are of getting the shot. I tried, again, a few days later and this time one appeared in good light but something was missing….snow!

Then, at the end of January we had a substantial dumping with poor visibility, lasting for several days.  I needed a break in the weather to entice the buzzard’s from where they had been sheltering from the terrible weather. I then had the forecast I’d been waiting for. A clear day, blue sky all the way. Perfect!  This would surely tempt them out to look for food. I got everything ready the night before and woke at 3. With all the snow I knew it was going to be tough driving and there was no guarantee that I would even reach the hide. I gingerly made my way to the spot where I needed to park the car but first there was a hill to get up. I had a bit of a run-up but the Mondeo only made it half way. Four attempts later it got me to the top. I now have a 4×4!When I reached the hide, there was over 18 inches of snow. I staked the rabbit down (this is to avoid it being carried off), set everything up in the hide, took snacks out of wrappers (to avoid noise) and sat back, waiting for light and, finger’s crossed, buzzards.

Then, at about 10 o clock, one arrived and fed for over 30 minutes. It took my breath away to be this close (15m) and knowing that all the hard work had not been to avail.  The low perspective was achieved by attaching a tripod head to a piece of MDF with tent pegs pushed into the ground with the lens protruding through a nurses-sleeve about 6 inches above the ground.  I attached one-way mirror film to small perspex panels at eye-level so I could see clearly outside without being seen.

Common buzzard

Several hours passed and then an immature bird turned up and, just like the one previous, spent around 30 minutes feeding, oblivious to the photographer who, at this point, was the happiest man on the planet!

To see a video of what I saw, please click here.  It was filmed on my point-and-shoot camera so please forgive the rather poor quality.

All images were taken using a Nikon D2x with 300mm f2.8 and 1.4x converter (sometimes without) with right-angle finder attached.  I ached for days having spent several hours with my head between my legs peering through this!

Of all the projects I have undertaken, this has certainly been the toughest but without question the most satisfying.  Hamilton Holt’s quote comes to mind….”Nothing worthwhile comes easily.  Work, continuous work and hard work , is the only way to accomplish results that last.” But, why do they have to be so strenuous!

Tuesday was my first attempt.  I positioned the two feeders (one with nuts the other with niger seed) about 2m away from what I think is a blackthorn bush (sorry, I’m not totally sure…happy to hear from someone to put me right) and photographed them as they perched before going to the feeders.  I often go for this way of working as opposed to placing perches for them to alight on since you get a variety of poses in one sitting.  It also looks more natural I think since that is how we more often than not view them…flitting in and out and amongst hedges and trees.  There are times however when I will strategically place perches particularly if I am after a clean background.  It was a beautiful day and although the p ictures certainly looked punchy and colourful, the light just seemed too harsh and the images lacked ‘soul’. 

blue tit

  I decided therefore to use a technique I’ve employed in the past when photographing plants which is to shoot either end of the day and while the subject is in shade the background is illuminated by the early morning/late afternoon sunlight.  The effect is unusual but I have to say I like it quite a lot.  You need to use a wide aperture to really throw the background out of focus and there is just a small window of opportunity before the light on the background becomes too harsh.  I arrived shortly after sunrise and once settled the birds began to perch and feed giving me just enough time before the sun illuminated the bush.

I also went this afternoon and obtained more images, yes even more blue tits! But the highlight was at around 3 o clock a common buzzard flew within 4m of the hide and perched in an oak tree just feet above me.  It was so close that as it flew towards me I thought at one point it was going to join me in the hide!