Timing is everything.
Yesterday I needed a couple of things from the store and went right after work. Had I gone home first, I probably would have missed the opportunity to not only see this animal, but shoot the video, too. The other stroke of luck was that I just happened to be taking the park's video camera home to download the footage I shot of yesterday's prescribed fire (we don't have a Firewire cable at work, so I have to use mine).
It's an American Badger (Taxidea taxus)!
Too cool, though I imagined them to be somewhat larger but, at 20-30 lbs, there not exactly lightweights either. And it was prowling around not far from the prairie dogs which is kind of scary since they say one badger can decimate a colony of them in a matter of a few days.
Kevin, that's a really cool video. I doubt if I'll ever see one, unless I'd be walking a trail and one would walk along. ;o)
For some reason I'm seeing birds and not badgers. I'll check back later. It could be my dumb internet-- or the fact that it's 1:30 a.m. :)
Mary: I suppose it is just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. I'm still waiting to see a Gray Fox, Mountain Lion, and, well, a whole host of other things too numerous to count. I think a lot of it is luck.
Lisa: I've checked this video and/or its links in three different browsers , so yeah, better get some sleep girl . . . ; - )
You are always at the right place at the right time!
I don't know about that, BWB. I look at it more as just blind luck. And the more I'm "out there", the "luckier" I am. Plus, in this case, if I hadn't made the trip to the store and was on a regular schedule, I never would have seen the badger.