When I first set up the trail camera in the far back of the yard, I obsessed over what it was doing. I checked its card every day. Would there be a cougar? How about some coyotes? The bobcat I've seen in the woods? However, day after day it was the same thing: just me or John going out the gate with Eddy and Reuben, plus a couple of does who routinely pass by. Birds swoop past, triggering the camera to take a shot, but never quick enough to capture them-unless they are turkeys lumbering over the fence.
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Eventually I learned to leave the camera alone for weeks at a time, months even. Today I finally checked it. You know what? The darn thing is getting kind of creative on me. Check out mid-March at exactly 6:43:44 PM (full moon). Pretty abstract for a game cam.
I love the night shots, like this one in which the eyes of both does shine in the dark. Seriously cool. I don't even care anymore that I'm not seeing fancy predators, just deer.
This is a surprisingly nice pic of me leaving with the boys. The game cam loves pink.
Wow. Game cam? What is Reuben looking at?
And this, taken Tuesday morning. Bravo! You may not have seen a cougar, but you captured the sun, game cam. And that's pretty good.
i've been tempted to get one for the pond trail, but i just know i'd get dogs and an occasional raccoon. :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe coyotes? I'm still waiting for them.
DeleteThe neighbors' cam picked up a possum. :) Why was I excited about THAT?
Aw, well, someday you will get that cougar. It is nice to see your other neighbors.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm patient enough-and keep an eye on the batteries-it's only a matter of time. They're out there...
DeleteI now know what it has the word game in its title, because you never know what you are going to get. Lovely discoveries here :)
ReplyDeleteMersad
Mersad Donko Photography
Haha! Excellent point Mersad!
DeleteOne of these days something will show up that will startle you. Maybe. And if not, that shot of sunbeams is really cool.
ReplyDeleteBeen playing catch-up. Loved the wedding post. Did you ever get a really good blueberry cake recipe?
Yes, the sunbeams make me happy enough. :-)
DeleteAs for blueberry recipes, I got a ton of good ones-mostly from you!! But as I type this, there is a blueberry cake in the oven which is an adaptation of a recipe that a commenter forwarded to me. I had to re-work it to be gluten-free and dairy-free, which was doable with that particular cake. I hope it doesn't taste awful. Luckily the one dairy product my guest can eat is butter.
I am not hoping to catch any cougars on my outdoor camera because that would mean he was too close to the house! I enjoy reviewing the footage after the family has been here and the grandchildren have been playing or working outside, plus the new kittens are lots of fun to view at play.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to worry about chickens and kitties in the yard, I definitely wouldn't want to see predators lurking around! You're right about that.
DeleteWe have those critter cams all over Bluebonnet Swamp. They once captured a gray fox on it. One day I happened to be in the right place at the right time and was able to photograph him. You never know what will show up! Hope you get something cool.
ReplyDeleteA gray fox is quite rare: lucky you, Gail! I remember now that you did that. When the coyotes finally show up on the trail cam I'm going to pretend they're gray foxes.
DeleteA friend of mine out in the country has one. He set it up to see what was getting his tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteAround here it's slugs that chiefly get the tomatoes-not fast enough to trigger the camera!
DeletePredators are much rarer than prey, it's a law of Nature, and one I'm quite happy about! I hope you eventually capture your cougar - if not, you can find plenty of the them in a singles bar.
ReplyDeleteHarhar harrrr!!
DeleteI'm ok with only spotting a cougar once (outside of a singles bar).
I actually try not use the word "cougar" toooo often b/c it inspires disappointed google searches from certain unsavory visitors. heh. But the day my trail cam catches a cougar I'll be all over it.
Gorilla Bananas...the Japing Ape...you are a super interesting visitor.
DeleteCougars and coyotes? Wow, your neck of the woods is pretty wild! :-) Literally. I have to satisfy myself with shots of urban foxes scavenging for food.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
You have foxes in London? I didn't know that. They're like coyotes, I guess, who also don't mind city living.
DeleteHow exiting to capture natural shots of wild life on your property with that camera! All we have around here are possums, raccoons, squirrels, and cats. There used to be a lot of chipmunks, but the hawks have fixed that. There's supposedly coyotes and foxes, too, but I haven't seen any.
ReplyDeleteMaybe after your camera has been there for a while, some of the other critters will come around. Good luck!
Thanks Susan. One of these days I bet I'll see something dramatic. I would love to see the coyotes that I know sneak around here.
DeleteIt seems like a fun thing to have.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun, AC. But then I'm easily entertained.
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