My best photos from yesterday’s journey into the Wasatch Mountains weren’t of birds; instead, they were of an American Badger I found along the side of the road.
American Badger butt – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
My first view of the badger was of its backside. I took butt shots anyway. I didn’t know how long the badger was going to be there and I wanted photo documentation.
Roadside American Badger – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
It only took a few seconds for the badger to turn towards me. I fired off a burst of shots as soon as it did. I don’t have these creatures in my viewfinder as frequently as I would like. To say I was excited might just be an understatement. Okay, it IS an understatement.
American Badger at a hole it was digging – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
At this moment in time the badger was digging a fresh hole close to the edge of the dirt road. What I liked about this image is the view of the sharp claws of the badger that enables it to dig in the earth.
American Badger with a dirty nose – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Then a pickup truck zoomed past and that made the badger scurry behind a mound of dirt where I could see how dirty its nose was from pushing it into the soil.
Peek-a-boo American Badger – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
The American Badger seemed to be playing peek-a-boo with me in this image. It was still hiding from the disturbance the pickup caused.
Around this time I looked in my rear view mirror and could see a jogger making their way towards me and the badger. Even worse than that, in front of me I could see a large, earth-moving, extremely loud track vehicle heading towards us.
American Badger coming out of its burrow – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
The badger had moved from behind the mound of dirt to its burrow and headed into it. Maybe the furry creature could feel the earth trembling. I don’t know for sure.
Thanks go to the photo goddess for my backup camera and lens
I very quickly grabbed my back up Nikon D810 from my backpack that had a Nikkor 18-200mm lens attached, started my Jeep and moved it to the other side of the road where the burrow was located. It only took a few seconds before the badger stuck its head back out of the burrow.
American Badger in soft morning light – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
Just a few moments later the badger came up to the edge of the burrow in the soft morning light. The jogger passed my Jeep on the passenger side and the badger watched the guy run down the road.
Head on look from an American Badger – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
I was so close to the badger that if I had attached my Nikkor 70-300mm lens that was in my backpack to my D500 I wouldn’t have been able to zoom it all the way to 300mm and fit the entire badger in the frame. With my Nikkor 500mm lens I might have been able to get the eyes and nose of the badger in the frame and not much more. If I could have focused on the badger at all, it might well have been too close to focus.
American Badger sniffing the air – Nikon D810, f8, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
I am thrilled with the images I took using the lens that I mostly use for landscapes. All of the images were sharp, my depth of field worked well and the colors were perfect.
American Badger in the Wasatch Mountains – Nikon D810, f8, 1/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
The Problem?
As I was taking photos of the the badger I could see that my battery charge was getting low. I hadn’t charged the battery in some time because I don’t use the D810 all that often. I had a full battery in my backpack but that would take time to grab, remove the dying battery, and place the fully charged one into the camera.
American Badger looking at a vehicle – Nikon D810, f9, 1/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
And that big, noisy, annoying construction vehicle was still thumping towards me and the badger. I didn’t know how soon the battery was going to die but I kept on taking images rather than losing time with the badger in my viewfinder.
I could see the badger watching the vehicle moving up the road.
American Badger in Summit County – Nikon D810, f9, 1/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
I cursed myself for not charging the batter of the D810 the last time I used it. I kept thinking my camera would turn off when the battery died but I kept firing away.
American Badger after a good scratch – Nikon D810, f9, 1/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
I watched the badger scratch an itch on its rear leg with its teeth, and when it turned around and when I saw this look with just the tips of the badger’s fangs exposed, I laughed out loud.
I laugh quite often in the field when I see something funny. Just ask anyone who has ridden with me. The laughter just bubbles past my lips. Fortunately my soft laughter didn’t scare the badger back into its burrow.
American Badger on an autumn morning – Nikon D810, f9, 1/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
That heavy construction machine was still moving forward and by now the low battery indicator on my D810 has started to flash. I kept shooting images of the badger.
Note: I don’t believe in ghosts but if I could come back as a ghost after I die I’d love to scare the pants off of the guy that was driving that infernal machine for a few seconds. 🙂
American Badger turning around – Nikon D810, f9, 1/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
As the noise from that horrible machine grew louder and closer I thought the badger was going to duck into its burrow when it turned its body.
American Badger moving away from its burrow – Nikon D810, f9, 1/1600, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 200mm, natural light
Instead, the badger moved away from it and headed into the grass and sage to the west of the burrow. I was puzzled by the behavior of the badger but it may have moved away so as to not get trapped in its burrow by that infernally obnoxious machine.
I thanked the badger, turned on my Jeep, and headed past that hunk of noisy metal with a big grin on my face.
My battery didn’t die, I got the photos I wanted of the American Badger, and life is good. So good that on some days my entire body trembles with pleasure.
Mia
Click here to see more of my American Badger photos plus facts and information about this species.
Wow – just spectacular photos!
Thank you Kathryn!
What an absolutely fascinating group of shots! As you noted in your commentary – the details and colors are absolutely perfect. Your perseverance despite the obnoxious construction vehicle and a low camera battery…paid off magnificently. I really love pic #4; the Badger’s full face portrait is terrific. This has to be one of my favorite series you’ve posted. Life is good…but your photos make it better! Thanks Mia.
Thank you, Pepe. You made my day!
Delightful. Delightful. Delightful! I think the badger is smiling too! 🙂
Thanks Marty! I think the badger looks like it is smiling in a few of the images.
What a marvelous set, Mia! Clearly the photo goddess decided to reward your patience.
Thanks Michael, the photo goddess was smiling on me.
Yet another critter we don’t have – and I delighted in your photos.
EC, think of a badger as a non-marsupial Tasmanian Devil… that is a fairly close comparison!
Yes I must say, those are nice shots of the Badger. I have never seen one in the wild either. Glad you did not change your lens, as the badger is sharp in a couple of the photos. I would have laughed too.
Thanks Trudy!
Mia,
These are spectacular. Thank you to both the badger and to you for sharing. They are beautiful animals that we seldom see. Hope you charged the battery in your D810! Long may you laugh!
Glen, I laughed when I read your comment because my battery was in the charger before my computer even started booting up after I got home yesterday! And thank you for your kind words on these images.
Wow!
Thank you Liz!
I love it when all the stars align and you’re gifted with a precious moment. Even with that irritating truck blasting by, you must have said to yourself “the world is right today” .
Bonnie, I did feel like the world was right yesterday!
Wow, and Holy Cow, and these are so wonderful!
Thank you Nina!
Great shots Mia, you found what many of us have (unsuccessfully) tried to photograph all this year. I wonder if they dig all those holes to get the ground squirrels hiding in their dens and that’s why we aren’t seeing any up there now?
Jerry, usually by mid to late July the ground squirrels up there have gone back underground. They only spend a few months of the year above ground. It was great seeing you yesterday!