In case you hadn’t noticed, I’ve got this thing about badgers! Perhaps it’s because I can identify with the badger’s nature; wary, elusive and slightly aggressive when cornered. Perhaps it’s because the badger is a true ancient native of the British woodland. It’s not been introduced or re-introduced and was certainly here in excess of 250,000 years ago. Perhaps I can symapthise with the way the Badger has been persecucted over the last few centuries. Perhaps, its because I’ve never actually seen a badger in the wild except for a fleeting glimpse crossing a road. I read about them, draw them but unsucessfully watch them.

I’ve had a few excursions over the last couple of years where I’ve specifically gone out to watch badgers, and while I’ve known them to be in the area, they’ve cleverly and cunningly eluded me!

Last Friday, I left the calm of the wood at about 6pm and ventured into the wind-swept open field which would be my observation point about 20 meters away from two of the forward facing sett entrances, which are embedded into a large bank of earth 5 yards high by about 100 yards long. Conditions weren’t bad. The wind was strong and noisy enough to cover some of my own sounds and at least there was no rain. The sun had dipped on one horizon and the moon was just an hour from rising on the other so there was reasonable visibility, although not perfect. I laid out the bivi bag and laid myself down, pulling up the collar of my jacket against the cold wind.

Having watched on a previous occasion for in excess of 4 hours, I settled in for the long wait. Already, my mind was beginning wander.

Half an hour later I spotted movement. A shadow perhaps? I strained my ears against the noise of the wind but there was nothing. I deliberately looked away and then back to the spot, trying not to strain my eyes and trying to tell them not to register something that wasn’t really there.

Nothing.

I relaxed and started thinking about the fire I was going to build when I got back to the wood. What’s that? I took in a sharp intake of breath and instantly held it. Silhouetted right on the top of the bank directly in front of me …a badger! No mistake, no hallucinations. The shape was clear and the pointed nose was in profile. It had frozen as I had frozen. A badger. I couln’t help saying it over and over in my mind. I couldn’t make out any details of the fur. I couldn’t even properly see the stripy face, but there it was. Meles meles. It stayed in the same position for a good 20 seconds looking around and then it waddled down to one of the sett entrances. It disappeared into a hole set deep in between the two entrances which were facing me.

I was elated. Eventually I let out my breath. Torch, camera…I hadn’t even thought of them. Another movement slightly further along the top of the bank to my right moving towards me. Another badger! Again it was silhouetted against the skyline. It must have come out of one of the entrances further along the bank. This time the badger didn’t stop and waddled straight into the entrance where the first badger had disappeared. It seemed in no great hurry. I snapped a picture, but I know I was just too late (as the photo shows.)

I waited and waited for another 45 minutes, but the cold got the better of me and there was no sign of any more. I headed back to the woods. I had seen two badgers – not clearly in glorious detail, but badgers nontheless.

Pablo.