After yesterday's foxes, tonight it's the return of the badgers. The main shots are of the elderly badger who I've nicknamed 'Lumpy'. It's carrying numerous scars around the neck area, and has some sort of growth on its rear left leg. This doesn't seem to impede its movement. You can make it out in this first photo. 
Lumpy also appears to be blind in one eye, as can be seen by the lack of eyeshine (tapetum reflection) in its left eye (right side of the photo).
For all that, Lumpy is a fine looking badger. It's just a matter of finding the right angle. I think this shot manages it. 
I've yet to figure out the social hierarchy at play among the badgers, and while I would assume that Lumpy is perfectly capable of being a dominant character, she (or he?) made a fairly rapid exit when a much younger badger appeared from the rear of the garden.
Mind you, the foxes also beat a hasty retreat in similar circumstances… this from last night.
Camera note: all shots taken with the Canon 7D and EF70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS lens. Video via the Bushnell Trophy Cam.
derWandersmann
3 Sep 2012Nice little vid, Words … and the badgers are great.
Words
3 Sep 2012dW, thanks. The badgers are the stars this year. In previous years I've only managed glimpses and the occasional rushed photo.
Words
3 Sep 2012Chthonid, I leave handfuls of peanuts out in the garden for them. Badgers and foxes both take their pick, but it's largely a matter of who gets there first.
chthoniid
3 Sep 2012Looks like a perfect night. Did you put out that food for the badgers?
SittingFox
3 Sep 2012I guess his old wounds are from fights with other badgers. They really do seem to spar at times.
derWandersmann
3 Sep 2012I'd say, from looking at the photograph, that the blindness is probably not from a fight … the damage would show, I think … this looks like a cataract.
Words
5 Sep 2012Adele, I think I must have some old shots of the same badger, judging by those scars. I'll have to see if I can find them. It was a nasty neck/shoulder wound if I remember correctly.
Words
5 Sep 2012dW, a cataract sounds about right. If I can find some previous photos it will make an interesting comparison. This is a real battle-weary badger judging by the state of it, but it seems to get by ok.
gdare
5 Sep 2012A couple of foxes, a couple of badgers… What will be next, couple of magpies? :yikes:
SittingFox
5 Sep 2012Or a couple of Essex lions? :whistle:
derWandersmann
5 Sep 2012Scottish wildcats.
chthoniid
5 Sep 2012Originally posted by SittingFox:
LOL! Have they got to the bottom of that story yet?
SittingFox
6 Sep 2012A blurry photograph of a small member of the Felidae was released 😉
If a real lion ever does roam Essex, it'll probably be mistaken for a dinosaur at this rate.
Words
10 Sep 2012Darko, well there are a couple fo magpies in one of tonight's photos. 😉
Words
10 Sep 2012No lions yet!