This page details some of
the equipment I use when watching or photographing
badgers. I like to take still photographs and video of
badgers. They both have their merits and require different
techniques for success.
How to activate a video
camera remotely using a simple model radio control
transmitter and receiver. Features design and rough
build with a video of the working model.
Start and stop your
video camera from a distance of around 200FT for
approximately £60
Necessity is the mother
of invention. Infrared and wireless units that come
with video camera bundles are pretty useless for
remote operation out of doors.
Select the link (left)
to see further details.
GAMESPY CAMERA
Date/time stamps still pictures or video
recordings. Activated by infra red trigger (change in
temperature).
Works for up to 60 days
on one set of batteries. Records still images or short
video clips to digital
cards (SD cards).
Ordered from Cabela's in
the states (USA). I have two of these to monitor movement at
badger setts. I've since found a UK supplier whose
costs now work out much more expensive.
I've found these
cameras to be very reliable and they have been out in
all weathers. The quality is perfectly adequate for
monitoring purposes. See the
Gamespy Photographs.
NIGHT VISION SCOPE
A 'must have' if you want
to follow badgers away from the sett on a dark night.
A necessity if you have a camera and flash unit set up
to photograph badgers on a dark night. When do you press the
shutter? If you can't see you can't select the best
moment to activate the camera and flash.
I hold the remote
trigger for the camera in one hand with the night
scope in the other hand watching the activity.
WARNING! Close your eye or remove the night scope
from in front of your eye before you activate the
camera and flash gun otherwise you will be see
floating green blobs in front of you for several
minutes and you could damage your eye. A flashgun
multiplied many times with an intensifier is a
frighteningly strong burst of light! Not
a pleasant experience as I found out the first time I
tried this combination and without thinking, left the
intensifier raised to my eye.
GPS
DEVICE
I wanted to log
the exact location and territorial distances of all the setts I found and I wanted to do this reasonably
accurately thus the requirement for a GPS system. This one works with
MAPSOURCE and ANQUET MAPS and I've been able to log 14
badger setts within a stretch of land just under 1 1/2
miles long.
I simply locate the
sett, press a button and I can then key in a
description for the waypoint. I can upload everything
to a PC later and plot the locations on a digital OS
map.
Where the unit really
came into its own was when I started to follow badger
trails through woods and fields. Badgers tend to be
creatures of habit but they cover a lot of ground and
the GPS system is great for analysing their routes to
and from their sett.
I could upload the routes later on and study them on
the map. Trails cross, veer off left and right, exit
into fields and open space - try drawing these by hand or
referencing them on a map - not easy. You can also
overlay the points on a satellite view of the
landscape and see the terrain Brock favours.
One other benefit of
this GPS unit, I can see the lunar cycle by date.
Great for planning a badger watch or a nights
photography knowing you have some moonlight to assist
with vision.
GORILLA POD (JOBY)
An amazing piece of
kit, I have two. If you want to travel light with a
small digital camera or an SLR, these pods are great.
The large size will hold a Canon 5D with small zoom
lens although I mainly use the pods for holding a
video camera or flash gun.
The
Gorilla Pods are so handy for wrapping round a branch,
pole, fence, tree etc. and they offer a stable secure
support. They are lightweight and flexible.
ABOVE
I've gathered a
collection of tripod heads and brackets over the years
and have used all of them in combination with
monopods, tripods, Gorilla Pods and brackets.
LEFT
A somewhat grainy
photo taken by flash at dusk showing my remote control
transmitter case attached by a wire to a Panasonic
video camera focussed on a badger sett below. The camera is
supported by a Gorilla Pod wrapped around the remains
of an old branch.
The
screws top and bottom stop the ratchet straps from
slipping but usually one strap is enough to secure the
bracket with kit.
I use
the ratchet strap round large trees or branches when
there is no convenient point to secure a Gorilla Pod.
RATCHET STRAPS
I use these with
aluminium video brackets I purchased from Ebay. I got
a set of four for a few pounds, made some base plates
also from aluminium.
Bracket
with heavy duty tripod head
PLASTIC CASE COVERED IN CAMO TAPE
This case
houses the remote control receiver, servo and
mechanism for activating the record facility on my
Panasonic Video Camera 3CCD
MiniDV camcorder with
12x optical zoom. The NV GS500 comes with a wired and
wireless remote. The remote control device physically
presses the red record button on the wired remote
unit. One press START, one press STOP.
A folded piece of metal
used to support the receiver case in a ratchet strap
when looped round a large branch or tree. The bracket
could be attached to most things via string or hooks.
You want flexibility at
all locations so the basic equipment can be set in
place quickly with least hassle and disruption to
Brocks surroundings.
I used this stuff to
cover the plastic case. I have plastic tape and cloth
tape and you can use it on almost anything.
I wouldn't use it on my
camera lenses, a better solution was to cut off the
sleeve of a long sleeved camo t-shirt and place that
over my lens.
CAMO T-SHIRT (LONGSLEEVED)
Ok, its not waterproof
but here's a tip for you. Buy a camouflage long
sleeved t-shirt, cut the sleeve off to use as a lens
cover. The t-shirt I bought had elasticated cuffs,
great for gripping the lens hood. I can use this
sleeve on its own for almost any lens, bunch it up and
stick an elastic band around it.
You are left with a
t-shirt and one sleeve. This is an excellent combo if
you are using a camera on a tripod. Slit the t-shirt
up the back, attach velcro to the corners of the
t-shirt then you can pull the sleeve over your camera
and wrap the remaining cloth around your tripod legs
as shown in the photo LEFT. The 'hootsman' in me
strikes again! I don't mind spending money on the best
of gear but saving a quid here and there is good fun
too ;-)
That's it folks, I've
covered most of the gear I use to capture Brock on
film and discover where he goes when the sun goes
down. I use Canon cameras and lenses, a Canon
video camera and a Panasonic video camera. No
point in listing these as any make of equipment will
do. The remote control device I built could be adapted
for most kit with a remote unit requiring a button
press. The Canon wireless trigger Canon LC-5 Wireless
Remote Controller Set is £300 plus and does work well.
I use it for still shots but at a fraction of the
price I could change the housing in my remote control
box to press the button on a Canon RS-80N3 Remote
Switch or
equivalent. Wish I'd thought of that first and saved
some cash - ah well.
Anyway, I hope you have
picked up some tips here and with a little ingenuity
and effort, perhaps you can improve your badger
watching and photography.
