subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 27 July 2019 35
No matter how well you approach things, some badgers
will never come out whilst it’s light enough to photograph
them. When this happens it’s best to move on to a new
site. It’s important to use a camera that can tolerate low
light and a long lens to enable you to keep your distance
and minimise disturbance. In the early days, I opted for a
500mm lens and would often sit around 20m from the
nearest entrance. It’s important to minimise your scent,
noise and movement when around badgers and
remember that when you’ve finished photographing
them for the night, leave as you came: quietly. From
using a mirrorless camera, I also have a silent shutter.
I almost always shoot with my aperture wide open with
badgers not only because of a lack of light but also to
help isolate them from their surroundings. Badgers have
two ‘modes’ in so much as they can move a lot when
snuffling, grooming or playing but will often freeze to
assess their surroundings or rest. Depending on which
behaviour I anticipate, my shutter speed can range from
1/5sec right up to 1/1000sec if the light allows it and the
activity levels are sprightly enough. I usually fix my ISO
between 1000 and 3200 and use my shutter speed to
compensate if necessary. Personally I don’t use a tripod.
Shooting advice
A badger’s sense of smell is
believed to be up to 800 times
more sensitive than our own
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, 40-150mm,
1/50sec at f/2.8, ISO 2000WILDLIFE WATCH Technique
Whilst badgers are nocturnal
animals, they can be seen in
summer if you find the right
sett and location because of
their limited time to forage at
night-time.
l Location Across UK aside
from some remote islands. Can
be found in almost all habitats
including woodland, farmland,
moorland and coastal regions.
l Size Average size 70cm
long. 7-14kg weight.
l Nest Live underground in
setts of varying size.
l Diet Omnivore. Diet
primarily consists of
earthworms, insects, fruit,
vegetables and carrion.
l UK population 450,000 -
500,000 individuals in UK.
Difficult to assess accurately.About
Badgers