wildlife cameras

[Dexter's Shed]

nice footage, I'd be inclined to lower the camera though, you'd get some good close up footage from animals being inquisitive, or even moving it closer (bash in a fence post) and place some nuts/acorns? around the base

[boxerman]

Yeah, I'm playing with camera placing but the biggest problem I have is minimal access to where I really need to place it - ideally it needs to be in next doors garden to get a good view of the entrance.... I'm also wary of 'banging in a fence post' too close to the sett 'cos I have no idea of where the tunnels run and I'd hate to collapse one. As for putting down feed - unless I'm there at dusk to do it it's a waste of time 'cos I've got too many vids of the squirrels clearing the lot long before the badgers come out to play - is there anything that badgers love but squirrels hate??

It's going to take time to get placement right and I'll probably end up taking the second camera down there too to give a choice of shots but I'll have a hell of a job explaining to my 91 year old Mum why I've got two of 'em..... She's of a generation where having one is a waste of money....

[Dexter's Shed]

if using two cameras, make sure you point them in different directions, I made the mistake of aiming them towards each other, the infra red light washes out the opposite camera, all you see on the other film is a "bright light" and vise versa,

[oldclaypaws]

is there anything that badgers love but squirrels hate??

Hedgehogs. You won't find any near a set, badgers are their main predator. Also earthworms (badger staple), chickens and sometimes rabbits.

[Dexter's Shed]

I thought they liked mushrooms, or so the song goes

http://youtu.be/NL6CDFn2i3I

[boxerman]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys.

I guess it could have been a moth flying across but it looked too long and too fast for a moth - could have been a very late season dragonfly maybe as they are fairly abundant here in the summer.

Good point about camera placement if I use two of them - thanks, I'll bear that in mind. Haven't yet checked what shots I've got from the latest placement but just hope the badgers haven't had the cam down and nicked it - if they have it'll be a couple of years till it resurfaces - you'd be amazed what's disappeared from the garden over the years only to appear around the Sett a year or two later.......

OK, so where do I buy a couple of lb of Hedgehog? I liked the mushroom idea but can find no mention of Badgers eating them but squirrels, apparently, do eat fungi..... I'd love to be able to put down some bait for the Badgers to get some good close-ups but what I'm up against is this: judging from the videos so far, the badgers don't visit this part until about 2.30am - squirrels are around during the day (I've seen them eat every trace of what I've put down) and during the day/evening and night the fox is around. Both will, potentially, eat whatever I put down long before the badgers are around unless I can come up with something practical that badgers eat but neither of the others will have first. I can see the only way that's going to happen is for me to go down there about 2am and lay the stuff - not sure my Mum would be happy with that tho..

[Wendelspanswick]

Timed cat/dog feeders?
http://m.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_bo ... oCWYrw_wcB

[boxerman]

Genius...... absolutely bl***y genius...... I'd never have thought of that in a million years.

For the moment I'll concentrate on getting placement right for some good overall shots but I'll definitely get something like that when I feel comfortable with concentrating on close-ups - it just solves so many issues for that providing I can devise a way to stake it down so it doesn't disappear on the first night....

I just love this place.. Despite the fact that I'm still some way from realising the dream of owning my own woodland I've had so much encouragement and advice that I really do feel part of the community and that's pretty rare for a forum, no matter the subject - a good forum depends so much on members attitudes and this place wins hands down....

[Dexter's Shed]

a cheaper alternative would be what we use on rats, I'm sure it'll work with badgers too

big tin of cheap sloppy supermarket dog food, using a bradawl, lots of holes into the tin, one hole being on the very edge and through the lid so tin can be tied down to a stake
the inners slowly ooze out of the holes, but animals need to stop and lap it up, rather than grabbing a mouthful and running off to eat in the den, we normally spray the tin black the day before making the holes, to stop getting light bouncing back from the tin, as the paper label normally comes off when making holes

[boxerman]

Thanks, Dexter - sounds like another useful idea to try out at some time and should actually leave some food for the Badgers.

Well, I know I promised not to post any more links so as not to bore you all but I can't resist posting this one. With the cam in a different position I got about 75 videos over a couple of nights - mostly Badgers and a couple of the fox. I've come to the conclusion that getting the filming right is going to be a steep learning curve - these were from a different position and much closer and they are actually too bright which reduces clarity a little but they are great close-ups of the Badgers at play (with the energy they have they have to be this years cubs 'cos I get tired just watching them....).

I think I'm going to get hours and hours of fun out of this camera as I have such easy access to the Sett and it reinforces the desire for my own wood... especially if it was ancient with it's own Sett....

I'm going to run these as a long term series of vids at the Sett so just subscribe if you want to be notified of new videos..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am0JlxqkMrI