It is evening, about 7pm and still light.  A lone robin sings from the understorey and the repeated notes of a song thrush call from the distance.  I am sitting in a woodland looking at a huge mound of earth and I feel a bit of lemon really.  It is normally at this time that I sometimes have my doubts as it seems improbable that Britain’s most easily recognised and iconic mammal, renowned for being shy and nocturnal, will emerge from the safety of its home in daylight and within just a few metres of where I am sitting.  

However, when the first black-and-white striped head first tentatively emerges from one of the sett entrances, it is a magical feeling.  The head bobs slightly as it sniffs the air.  I notice with relief that the wind is lightly blowing across my face, not towards the sett.  After just a few tense seconds the bulk of an adult female badger fully emerges into the light.  She appears to look straight at me, surely she can see me?  Again her head bobs as she scents and seemingly relaxed she then confidently runs forward and begins to feed around the sett and the night’s entertainment commences. 

Badger watching is surprisingly easy.  All you have to do is find where badgers are active and then obey certain rules.  Finding where badgers are active normally involves finding an occupied sett. Not all badger setts are active or occupied year round, in fact there are main setts, outlier setts and subsidiary setts each occupied either semi-permanently or occasionally by members of the clan throughout the year.  There are several clues to tell you if a sett is active such as the level of trampling outside a sett or the presence of bedding and freshly excavated mounds of earth for example.  Take a look at the surrounding area; you could follow well worn badger paths noting whether any fur collects as the path passes under a barbed wired fence.  To tell if the fur is from a badger, roll it between your fingers; a badger hair is oval in cross-section so will roll awkwardly.  The presence of latrines with fresh waste will also be a tell-tale sign.  These take the form of 20cm deep round holes about 15cm in diameter filled to a greater or lesser degree with badger faeces which can be more or less solid.  These latrines often denote the edge of a clan’s territory but are also often very close to the sett itself and some comprise many holes; I have seen one small area with 18 latrine holes. 

Once you have discovered an active badger sett or area, examine the site carefully for a good viewing point that you could use later on.  Having trees or undergrowth behind you is ideal as it will break up your outline or allow you to just merge into the background.  A badger’s eyesight is poor, so unless you are creating a silhouette and you are wearing dark clothes, you shouldn’t be detected in your watch.  Smell is by far the badger’s most acute sense and, following our relentless persecution of badgers, they abhor the smell of humans.  If you let your scent drift over the sett they will not emerge, if your scent drifts over them while they are out they could disappear underground at a sprint and may not emerge again if they continue to sense danger.  Ensure that the prevailing wind is against you or across you and that your scent is not going to be blown down any of the sett entrances.  Main setts can be huge areas of interlinking tunnels and entrances, so your scent entering any of the holes can soon permeate the whole sett complex.  Work out a quiet entry and exit route to a good viewing point that will not cause any disturbance to the badgers.  This could entail removing any twigs or branches from your path in and out and, if I am going to regularly watch a sett, I will rake the path clear of leaves. At one of these regular watch setts, I also work out alternative viewing points in case the wind is wrong when I arrive for the watch or changes in the middle of a watch. 

Clothing during your watch is very important.  You will need to stay warm and dry and not create any sound.  Waterproofs or Gortex outer layers are unsuitable as it is too noisy; in fact it will surprise you how noisy clothing or equipment is once you are in place and trying to be quiet.  Dark fleece material is ideal as an outside layer, but, if it looks like rain is on the cards, then wear your waterproofs under your fleece as this will muffle the sound.  Denim jeans are not a good idea as they can appear very pale in the darkness.  A dark woolly hat and gloves not only help to conceal you, but will keep you warm too and this is crucially important as you may be sitting motionless in the dark for up to 3 hours on a good watch.  In brief, dark, soft and warm is the best way to approach the clothing subject when badger watching. 

Once you have everything planned, get there early, an hour at least before sunset.  Get comfortable and then just wait.  Although badgers are active throughout the year, the best badger watching period is probably April to June as this is when the cubs are most active and they often play around the sett while it is still daylight.  They provide fantastic entertainment as they fuss and fight often within just a few metres of the viewer.  Before the cubs are weaned at this time of year the dominant sow will also often come out very early in order to feed, she does this to get as much food as possible as she is still feeding the growing cubs her milk.  I have often arrived at a badger watching site only to find the sow out already; it means waiting until she either leaves the sett area or re-enters the sett itself before you can move into your watching position.  Badger hearing is very acute, but they are more startled by sharp sounds like snapping twigs.  With practice you will learn what you can get away with during your watch but initially try to be as quiet as you can.  The more disciplined you are initially the more chance your watch will be successful. 

With all these guidelines being stressed, however, I have on occasion broken just about every rule in badger watching, such as the wind changing direction mid-watch or leading a group on a badger watch who have worn noisy waterproofs, and still I have managed to have incredible viewing experiences.  However, if you are going to invest the time and effort to stay out late and get cold and possibly wet, I would advise minimising the risk of badgers not showing and we should also take every reasonable step to ensure that badgers are not disturbed in any way possible.

Normally, your first successful badger watch is unforgettable, but regular watches are when you really start to learn about these fantastic mammals.  As well as cubs feeding and playing, I have witnessed mating, feeding, mutual grooming and fighting.  As you get more experience at the same site you will start to recognise individuals and get a hint of the clan politics that rule their lives and behaviour.  The clan itself is extended and as such adults will come and go.  They may be welcome visitors back to the main sett or indeed they may not and of course, where this is the case, fighting may occur.  I have had disappointing nights when I haven’t seen a single badger and others where I counted 9 individuals in a single huddle grooming and playing.  However you look at it, badger watching takes a little effort but it can certainly be worth it. You are not just wandering into the countryside to see what wildlife you happen to come across; with badger watching you are specifically solving a problem to see just one species.  But, as a beacon and iconic symbol of the fragility of British wildlife, it deserves your attention, so go out there do a bit of homework and then give badger watching a try for yourself. 

The Sussex Wildlife Trust holds badger watching evenings at David’s wood in Sussex in the summer months.   He also runs his own private badger watching evenings on request.  See David’s website at http://www.davidplummerimages.co.uk .  David runs regular photography courses.