Quite early this evening (7.45pm) Pam went round to the greenhouse to close it up and on the way back bumped into a Badger foraging on the lawn.
It was quite dark, even with the light of a moth trap shining over the garden. I did try to focus on the badger from the window but there just wasn't enough light for automatic focus. With care I can sometimes get quite close to a badger, if it is preoccupied with feeding. I went to the door and took a couple of steps outside towards him, and apart from a short look up and a sniff at the air it had no affect. I took a torch with me, as it makes it easier to focus if the black and white stripes are well lit. Believe it or not the badger took no notice of this at all. The trouble is that holding the torch in the right direction and getting the camera also pointing there is not as easy as it sounds!
In the end I had the old chap, I think if was a boar, almost feeding round my feet. When I take photos from inside, with the the patio doors open, I lie on the floor so that I get a nice low angle. This is not so easy out side so the pictures were rather looking down at him. In the end he came too close and after a short stare he decided that I was not to be trusted and he scampered off down the garden. I always like being right outside with them, hearing them munching, it seems such a privilege to be so close. This one has got a very tatty back end. it looks as if he been in a recent fight and been bitten on the bum while he's been running away.
1 comment:
A lovely close encounter. It is always such a thrill when you get the sound effects too. I am always transfixed when I come across a dragonfly audibly munching its way through a fly or a carder bee scraping the fuzz off the underside of a grape leaf. So much better than the foley on even the best Attenborough!
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