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Digger


Digger
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2010-06-25
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon 40D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/250 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2010-12-16 18:26
Viewed: 3629
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi Everyone,
In June this year we had the pleasure of watching a mother American Badger raise her two offspring at Waterton Lakes National Park. We saw them several times through the month and were always amazed at how fast they can dig. In this shot one of the pups was trying to dig out a Columbia Ground Squirrel. Here is some information from Nature.ca

American badger, Taxidea taxus

American badgers are relatively large members of the weasel family. Large males may weigh up to 12 kg (26 lb.).

American badgers are not very agile. Their normal gait is a leisurely waddle, but when pursued they run close to the ground with a trotting movement. A special belly gland emits a musky odour when the animal is excited.

Badgers live in self-made burrows, which may be as long as 10 m (32 ft.) and up to 3 m (10 ft.) deep. Enlarged grass-lined sleeping chambers lie at the end of these burrows. Their powerful digging claws on their forefeet are also used in their search for food, which is mostly burrowing rodents such as ground squirrels.

Badgers have been known to hunt rodents in cooperation with coyotes, a rare example of inter-species cooperative hunting behaviour.

Badgers are not true hibernators. They become torpid during winter to save energy, but are quick to emerge on days of thaw.

A powerful fighter, the badger has few non-human predators. Once common on the Canadian prairies, its numbers are now greatly reduced. It is also found in the dry mountain valleys of southeastern British Columbia, and occasionally in the flat, open farmlands of southwestern Ontario.
Chiza, boreocypriensis, nasokoun, rousettus, loot, Pitoncle, CeltickRanger, uleko, oanaotilia, bobair has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Chiza Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 133 W: 0 N: 474] (5351)
  • [2010-12-16 19:20]

Very nice shot Rick...

Either I have forgotten or you have done some great pp work with this one Rick. You have given him some pop. He is centered but framed by nature. Good show!
Bob

Good morning MF Rick,

What a cute expression on her face:) Good timing to capture her while digging the ground. A real beauty indeed.
TFS and have a nice day MF!

Bayram

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 967 W: 26 N: 3888] (16941)
  • [2010-12-16 22:00]

Hello Rick
Very nice portrait of this interesting and cute mammal
Thanks for sharing
Razvan

hello Rick, excellent meeting, very good picture, with very good colors and sharpness!
TFS Nasos

Hi Rick,

an very nice and cute image.
Good of sharpness and pov.
fine clarity colors.

Gert

Wonderful presentation of unknown for me creature, friend Rick! How are you today? What an interesting facial expression has this lovely Badger! Brilliant point of view, depth of field and detail. Please, dear Rick have a look my color corrections at the workshop. I hope that you like the difference! Have a nice day/evening!
Regards,
George Veltchev

Hi Rick

Good shot of this determined digger. It looks prety rock in this situation. Great pose and composition.

Chris

excellent capture of famous American Badger, when it digging. congratulations really, Rick. all details visible. great timing, exposure and eyes contact. I enjoy to see this great work. thanks for showing us this beauty. well done.
Ahmet

Hi Rick
Interesting animal and impressive photo with wonderful colours and excellent sharpness.
Regards, Christodoulos.

Hello Rick,
A beautiful photo with natural colours, the disturbed ground in front indicates the activity.
Best wishes,
Pambos

  • Great 
  • loot Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5524 W: 722 N: 4163] (11276)
  • [2010-12-18 0:55]

Hi Rick

From the evidence of the loose dirt and rocks lying around it seems clear that this pup
spent a serious moment of digging in its attempt to get hold of that squirrel. I love the
shot and the expression on the little badgers face. A slight increase in contrast and a
wee adjustment of the white-balance might have been somewhat beneficial, but you
have captured a lovely, almost pensive, moment when the badger stopped its digging
and gave you a bit of a look over.

Well done and TFS.
Take care and have a great weekend.
Regards
Loot

Footnote:
During this time of year the commercialised words "Peace & Goodwill" always gets blown
out or proclaimed in a superfluous plethora of advertisements, catalogues and billboards
by the mass media, radio and TV. Wherever one looks or listens you get blasted with
this notion, but spare a moment in your thoughts and prayers to the ill-fated realities of
those less fortunate. Those that are living in war torn countries, those whose lives were
disrupted by natural catastrophes, those that do not have enough food on the table,
those who are removed from friends and family, those who do not have the privilege of
love and laughter in their lives.

FAITH makes all things possible
LOVE makes all things BEAUTIFUL,
It is my whish that you will have all three of these in abundance for this Christmas.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and a wonderful New Year!

Bonjour Rick,
Très agréable publication, finement détaillée, délicatement colorée et surtout pleine de tendresse.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Gérard

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2010-12-18 7:46]

Hello Rick,
What a special photo! A beauty! It must be fascinating to see this badger in its daily life. Excellent sharpness, details and beautiful natural colours.
Regards,
Peter

Very nice capture of this beautiful creature we don't see too much of on TN. Exposure could'nt be any better. Always a challenge to get both higher and lower registers to come out even with the sun as a variable to contend with. Well done Rick. :)

hello Rick

excellent close-up photo of this American badger,
with fine frontal POV, fine DOF, excellent focus
sharpness and details, beautiful luminosity, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2010-12-26 8:11]

Hello Rick,
I'm sorry I'm late for this lovely shot of a very cute Badger pup digging for Squirrels! Excellent timing, sharp focus and lovely light and colours.
I hope you're enjoying a lovely Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year!
TFS and best regards, Ulla

Hi Rick,it has been some time since I last dropped by on one of your photos and I must say I rather like seeing that badger and the pose you have caught it in.The morning light looks very mellow on this animal's fur and the foreground,it gives a nice saturation to the image,an image that is sharp and clear.I have heard that badger might be put on the threaten species list of animals here in Alberta and that is really a shame because it is because of we people that it may be so.Badgers should be removed from the list of things legal to hunt in Canada as I do not believe most hunters kill them to eat them but more of a blood-lust kind of activity at best to show their friends how brave they are at blowing away wildlife that can't fight back.Thanks for sharing this mellow looking digger, he or she looks kind of serene.

Bob

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