A bit soft around the eyes but I do like this a lot. Foxes and badgers often live together so I don't think the fox killed it. Also this young badger looks a bit to big to be a prey. Well....at least I hope I'm right
Edwin Kats
Posted by Andy Astbury on July 29, 2010 at 10:39 AM
I'd ditto Eds comment about sharpness around the eye or rather slight lack of, but to get them out in good light is a rarity so you're fortunate Andrew
Also I'd agree with Ed over foxes - I doubt they are responsible for its demise. My springers found a dead juvenile a couple of days ago, from the wounds I suspect it was the victim of a pair of coursing dogs which I have seen knocking around; either that, or your cub has met with the usual RTA.
I agree with Edwin and Andy the images is a bit soft around the eyes. I also agree you are very fortunate to get them out in good light. I have 7 badgers that come into my garden every night 5 cubs and mum and dad but always when the sky has gone dark, and when I've sprinkled the peanuts on my lawn.
We also have foxes that come in and they live along side the badgers, so I don't think a fox has taken the cub but more than likely a dog or its an RTA.
Shaun
Posted by Andy Shepherd on July 29, 2010 at 12:53 PM
It's a nice shot Andrew, maybe with a little more processing you'll be able to sharpen it a little.
Andy...
Posted by Andrew Mason on July 29, 2010 at 1:01 PM
I have gone back and looked at the original files and you are all absolutely right about the sharpness, the left eye being the worst. I could not decide when I initially edited the images whether some of them were soft or whether the probelm was due to the lack of contrast between the eyes and eye lids. Given this lack of contrast, the autofocus has tended to lock onto the point nearest the eye where the fur changes from black to white. A lot of the images of the cub were take around 2-4m, which has compounded the lack of depth of field at small aperatures. Interestingly, both my bodies have subsequently been into Lehmans in Stoke (for other problems) and whilst in for repair they diagnosed that they were both back focusing.
I must admit that I am not sure what has actually happened to the cub. I have found the remains of what I believe is the cub near to one of the entrances that the badgers use to the wood where the set is located. The cub has not been seen since I found these remains nor have I found any remains on the roads near to the set. The cub was actually smaller than it appears to be in the images I have posted and would not have been a problem for a fox. The area is fairly isolated and I have not seen any dogs near the set. I live in a close nit rural community and I have not heard of any coursing or other simmilar activities.
What I find interesting is that this is not the first set I have found in my local area where the cubs have been active in the day. Earlier in the year, I found another set which had two cubs that were active from mid afternoon. Maybe my local badger cubs are the equivalent of the Norfolk/Suffolk Barn Owls - I will have to wait until next year to find out!
In years of drought the adult badger will kill the young by a bite to the head, I think this is done when they are really young though, I once found a dead cat on top of a badger sett that i was shooting at and it stayed there for 2 weeks stinking which suprised me,Great to get them out soo early and you have managed a good POV
Dave
Posted by Andrew Mason on July 29, 2010 at 1:55 PM
Hi Andy, as far as I can tell Lehamns have corrected the problem. Andrew
Lovely image and I to have been working on these for months and cannot get them out in the open so well done there,I love the low view point makes the image for me,just a tad soft nothing that your Nikon D3S @F5.6,iso 1000 will not sort
In my experience Foxes and badgers will live in close proximity for a while, A sett I used to watch had both living in it at the same time, and they both had cubs. I am inclined to believe that the cub was too old, i.e at least 11 wks if its coming above ground for a boar to kill it. I could not say it definately wouldnt though. An adult fox might kill the badger cub if it were deemed a threat.
The Pic is a corker, I would happily live with any "softness",
Discussion
15 repliesNikon D3X and 200-400 lens at 400mm.
ISO 400, 1/250 at F4.
PP in LR3 and CS5. 10% crop.
Edwin Kats
Also I'd agree with Ed over foxes - I doubt they are responsible for its demise. My springers found a dead juvenile a couple of days ago, from the wounds I suspect it was the victim of a pair of coursing dogs which I have seen knocking around; either that, or your cub has met with the usual RTA.
I agree with Edwin and Andy the images is a bit soft around the eyes. I also agree you are very fortunate to get them out in good light. I have 7 badgers that come into my garden every night 5 cubs and mum and dad but always when the sky has gone dark, and when I've sprinkled the peanuts on my lawn.
We also have foxes that come in and they live along side the badgers, so I don't think a fox has taken the cub but more than likely a dog or its an RTA.
Shaun
It's a nice shot Andrew, maybe with a little more processing you'll be able to sharpen it a little.
Andy...
I must admit that I am not sure what has actually happened to the cub. I have found the remains of what I believe is the cub near to one of the entrances that the badgers use to the wood where the set is located. The cub has not been seen since I found these remains nor have I found any remains on the roads near to the set. The cub was actually smaller than it appears to be in the images I have posted and would not have been a problem for a fox. The area is fairly isolated and I have not seen any dogs near the set. I live in a close nit rural community and I have not heard of any coursing or other simmilar activities.
What I find interesting is that this is not the first set I have found in my local area where the cubs have been active in the day. Earlier in the year, I found another set which had two cubs that were active from mid afternoon. Maybe my local badger cubs are the equivalent of the Norfolk/Suffolk Barn Owls - I will have to wait until next year to find out!
Hi Andrew,
A quick question if I may, did Lehmans correct the back focusing issue ?
As it happens, I'm taking my Canon 7D into Lehmans t'moro morning due to focusing issues.
Andy...
Dave
Thanks for the reply, cheers.
Andy...
I am sure with a bit of work you can improve on the sharpness.
Major.
JR
Keith.
The Pic is a corker, I would happily live with any "softness",