BadgerMap
Badger carrying cub traveling north along fenceline on east side of Hwy 191 (location approximate). It veered away from fence when we stopped, then returned to fenceline and continued.
This was an observation of tragedy. The badger lay belly up with a grimace upon the pavement, muzzle pointed east, body on the west side of the road. The grasses were longer in the verges, but there was a path of flattened vegetation directly behind the mustelid. I moved the body onto this trail of once-badger to help keep scavengers from also being killed. A turkey vulture perched on the power lines above, and there was evidence that s/he had already fed quite a bit from the carcass. This was the first American badger we have ever seen, sadly.
Boggs state forest. Base of tree stump adjacent to Gales trail at the trail's highest elevation. Flat terrain in general location, no slope. Not heavily forested, sparse trees (ie ponderosa pine). Appears similar to the "badger den" at Pepperwood Preserve in terms of entrance size and shape. Didn't look like a burned out tree root to me, too distinct. I can see up four feet of den length with no terminal.
Badger adult female was observed through binoculars at burrow entrance, playing with two large young. Female would ascend large mound of fresh earth on an already steep slope, then young would push her back down. This activity repeated over a period of nearly 15 min. from 4:45-5PM while burrow area was in full but gentle sunlight. On some occasions one or more individuals would somersault down the slope before resuming the game. After the initial 15 min. of play the adult moved downslope making many small digs most likely for voles (see Elbroch & Rinehart 2011, Behavior of N. Am. Mammals). Young retired to burrow at this point as female worked down slope until she disappeared into a brushy gully.
Burrow site is visible from Highway 35 (Skyline Blvd.) at milepost SMC 8.36, looking west. Returned on 4/16 at same hour with Logan Rosenberg. Family had relocated 2 hillsides farther away but were once again lounging at a burrow entrance, although not as active, and almost too far to identify. Photos show closer of 2 burrow locations at center of image (largest mound). Female and 1 young can be detected by enlarging image (female at lower edge of mound.)
Wendell Wood reported (sent to Brock Dolman of OAEC) seeing a swimming Badger, west to east, about 40% of way across half-mile stretch of Wocus Bay on Klamath Marsh NWR. The badger saw the canoe and did a 180 degree turn and swam all the way back to shore, into tules to shoreline.
There were two badgers in a field along the road that leads to the Lighthouse. They appeared to be a male and a female. I looked for them two weeks later and could not spot them
2 badgers emerged from burrow at dusk. A cat walked across field and touched noses with 1 badger, then turned and trotted away. The badgers then departed, moving east.
Immediately north of Paula Lane habitat in West Petaluma.
BadgerMap is a project to document confirmed habitat and species sightings for American Badger (Taxidea taxus) in Sonoma County and the Bay Area region. Managed by Paula Lane Action Network, a 501c3 conservation nonprofit organization. www.paulalaneactionnetwork.org. (707) 241-5548.
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