A very unexpected daytime visitor

[John Liddle]

I peeped round the end of the garage around 4 o'clock to see if our visiting hare was in the orchard enjoying the hot sun, when to my great surprise I saw.....


Badger (some distance off) by John Liddle, on Flickr


It wandered around a great deal, getting something to eat from the grass and then started to work its way towards me.


Badger (fairly close) by John Liddle, on Flickr


I was downwind in a stiff breeze and it didn't seem to register my presence at all and ended up a few feet away from me.


Badger (very close!) by John Liddle, on Flickr


It seemed (to me at least) to be a small specimen, so I guess it might have been a youngster (and therefore inexperienced), but as Noel Coward said "Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon-day sun", so why it was wandering around in broad daylight I do not know.

All three images are uncropped.

[Bill53]

What a great encounter John and splendid captures too, lovely.

[Trev B]

Great capture John. Yes it’s a cub, now about four months old, having been born during the first two weeks of February which is normal for badgers in the southern half of Britain.
P.S. It looks to be a young Boar. With this hot dry weather there is a lack of Earthworms their main diet. So, possibly not finding food at night, hence the day time sighting.

[Colin W]

Three excellent photos John.

[El Sid]

Cracking set and a fine example of serendipity at work!

(+ for the last one)