Black and White Badger

by Jennifer Harnden March, 2024

I am delighted to have enjoyed seeing, and to have captured some of what I feel are great first images of some wild badgers this month, with thanks to a supportive farmer and a professional wildlife photographer who has set up a private hide near a wild badger’s sett that's situated in old disused outbuilding in a small corner of a farm. They’re so iconic, the familiar and yet rarely seen  ‘black and white’ striped face, so many people love, they are a symbol of the British countryside.    

Black and White

One cold, March evening, I was very excited to have this opportunity to sit out in the dark with the hope to see one or two badgers, and my evening didn’t disappoint!     After a long wait in the cold, trying our best to keep still and very quiet, there it was, not too far away from where we were hiding!  It’s unmistakeable face tentatively showing itself briefly as it started it’s evening quest, staying close to it's home, looking for food for him and his family. 

Badgers are known to live in family groups in their chosen territory and being a nocturnal animal of course, not many people will get the chance to see one, and yet, here one was! I sat mesmerised and very still, in the hide, enjoying seeing my very first sighting of a live badger. I was delighted, both with seeing the wonderfully secretive wild badger for the very first time and with the photographs I captured of him, without disturbing him during his short appearances.

Up to date information about our countryside's badgers can be found on various wildlife trust website, such as The Badgers Trust.