Well the critter-cams at The Holler have been busy clicking away. We set our camera to take seven shots with each motion detected, typically the seven shots yield one photo, so this is not a necessary feature. My son also set up two of his critter cams. His camera takes one shot per motion detected. So we have had three cameras busily clicking away. We have about 100 catches so far. Take a gander at the denizens of the day and night!
Remember though, these are stationary, 24 hour critter cams. Not art cameras. We are using them to try and document the incredible amount of predatory activity at The Holler, especially at night. It often sounds like Jurassic Park out here at night and these photos show why!
This coyote is on our property quite close to the house. There are two daytime shots of this one, taken today. Click to enlarge.
Beautiful animals aren’t they? And now for the eerie denizens of the night, which is when the coyotes rule over all!
This coyote is investigating the camera.
These are with Matt’s camera that was up for 2 nights. His camera cost $50 and ours around $100. This is a large male in the distance.
Can you see this one in the distance? You can also see a second camera attached to the rattlesnake fence on the left.
And what are all these Wiley E. Coyotes looking for?
Beep. Beep!
BTB, the roadrunners are quite quirky. They people watch, like people bird watch. They stand on one of our outdoor tables to watch my husband eat breakfast. Fascinating for them. I often wake in the morning to find one peering at me through the French doors. They are always snooping around. Whenever we put anything new outside, they investigate it once the coast is clear, as you can see this one do with Matt’s critter cam which he attached to a rock on the ground.
Those things scare me. They have spotted some in my neighborhood. We also get road runners. Gotta love Texas.
You don’t want to wander around here at night much that’s for sure!
Hate Coyotes moving in on my place but LOVE THOSE Road Runners they were always Dad’s Favorites and fun to see them last two trips to the desert
You be careful and keep your pets close to you these are wild and hungry
Eunice-
Please use this link to see my acknowledgement of your incredibly kind nomination. It means a lot to me. Thank you! I am so glad to have met you!
Cheers,
Cindy
http://cindyknoke.com/2012/11/28/the-importance-of-blogging-earnestly/
I am so glad to have met you too Cindy
Back to you x 2 Eunice!
Yes they are wild AND hungry!
These critter cam posts are absolutely fascinating Cindy! Thanks for sharing.
I am amazed they take such good photos!
Dorann-
Please use this link to go to my post acknowledging you and your wonderful blog for your very kind nominations! So happy to have met you in blogville! You are a joy and a peach!! Thank you CDorann!
Cheers,
Cindy
Yikes Cindy! Please be careful. Many of my friends locally have them within their neighborhoods. They are definitely on the move!
Yes! We are careful! thank you!
You could do your own series on “the roadrunner” and “wily coyote”. All you need is a safe from ACME products. HaHa!!! Looks like you’re having quite a fun time with the “critter cam”.
Paul
I want the safe!! What a great idea!
psychedelic! What a trip to see these guys in real life. Do you have any farm animals besides your adorable droopy ear love?
We abut a 1200 acre nature preserve that has some free range cattle. When the coyotes bring down a calf, it is not pretty. The mother’s cry & bellow for days.
Love those ghostly images you captured!
Great imagery…..the elusive, ghostly coyotes rule the night! And boy do they.
Pingback: Chicago coyotes faithful to their mates | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Finally I get to see a real roadrunner. Thanks for sharing the great outoors at the holler. Interesting fall ground cover! It looks like small sticks. Is it straw or something else?
Hi Wally-
We cleared the dry brush 200 feet or so around the house for fire prevention, hence the dry stubble. As soon as the rains really come, it will be green and covered with wildflowers. I’ll send you better roadrunner shots as available. Funny little dinosaur birds!
wow! Wild Wild West!! …
I nominated you for Very Inspiring Blogger Award.It would be an honor if you accept it.
http://cristimoise.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/very-inspiring-blogger-award-part-ii/
Oh wow! Thank you what an honor!!! Love your fascinating blog posts!
Yes, we need Wyatt Earp!!!
Awesome pics, Cindy! Wow! Makes me thankful for indoor plumbing
Hilarious!! Good thought too……one would not want to be bumbling around out here after dark!!!
Wow. Makes our wildlife look tame! (Although there was a small shark washed up on the beach the other day… by small I mean about 90cm long, and already dead!). Love the roadrunner pictures – only ever seen them on the cartoons. Do they really make beep beep sounds?
Hi-
They make a funny whirring noise that sounds exactly like playing cards attached to bicycle wheels (If you ever did this as a child. If not, it’s sort of a dry flapping paper sound.) You know they are around when you hear this in the morning. No beep beeps, have no idea who dreamed that up in cartoon land! They are an intensely curious bird and quite fun to live around.
I was born and raised by the ocean so I am quite familiar with sharks. Enjoy them a lot more when I am not in the water with them!!!
I will post more roadrunner pics as they become available. Hopefully some clearer shots.
Thanks so much for popping by and chatting! Cheers!
Surprised that motion sensing cameras are not more expensive, especially since they take pretty good photos! The night time shots are really eerie-looking and fascinating, and all the pictures kind of tell a story. Never a dull moment around there, I can tell!
Becky-
You & me both! I was very surprised by what these cameras can do. I was thinking about the photos and what the animals were doing. If you look back, it seems they are reacting to/looking at the camera as it takes the photos. There were more that I didn’t post. I will keep doing this as it is interesting to me, and no one else is studying this weird wild place in north eastern SoCal after all! There are few wild places left here.
Your blog is really great. So glad to meet you…
Thanks Cindy, I’m enjoying your blog as well! Living in the country has made for an interesting read for those of us who follow your blog–looking forward to seeing more of your study on here!
What does your Clementine make of all the night time noises and activity?
That is a good question and her response is unusual. She completely ignores the coyotes as if they are not there, kinda of like an honor student with high school bullies! She does this with aggressive dogs to, and they tend to leave her alone. She is never allowed outside here though unless she is on a leash and with two people. I always carry bear spray when we walk.
There is a massive, mean dog out here, mastiff, ridgeback, pit bull mix, wants to attack everyone and everything. He goes after the packs and has gotten flanked and bitten, had to go to the vet. I don’t even know how they take that dog to the vet since it wants to attack everything it sees. I actually carry the bear spray both for the coyotes, and the dog, and any passing mountain lion!
Help! Your dog walking is an exercise in courage. Does the bear spray work on the rattlesnakes? My little dog got a teeny bit chewed by another little dog when we were out for a walk the other night. I thought that was a big deal, but rather that than encountering a bear or a monster dog.
No, the rattlesnakes are unnerving, nothing repels them once they are in your face! We have dispatched 9 of them when they intrude in our garages, or won’t leave, or are aggressive, which only the Southern Pacific’s are. The aggressive ones do scare me a lot! They are neuro and hepa toxic and are nicknamed, “people biting snakes.” Nasty critters!
No bears here, although the largest grizzly in California’s history was shot here a long time ago.
Funnily enough, since I always walk with bear spray at home, we were in Yellowstone recently, and popped out of the lodge for a minute and bop there was a grizzly! I had no spray! That’s what they call ironic! He ambled off. We saw a second but I had the spray!
I’ve lived here 4 1/2 years now. I was scared the ENTIRE first year when I walked. Now I am comfortable, and armed, with bear spray and my husband with a marine fog horn for the dog. It works like a charm!!
The dog scares me more than the coyotes. He is crazy!
Little mean dogs, biting your little dog, would completely upset me! Nothing should bite your dog!
Hmmm, what could you walk with to prevent this in the future? This would be an interesting blog post question!
I do apologise. I didn’t have you on my list of blogs, so didn’t give you the Blog of the Year award, I am sorry.
Oh Alastair, no worries please. Just glad to have you visit & comment!! Cheers!
Cindy did you ever get my answer to your question?
Sachem.
No, and I have eagerly been awaiting it. I probably forgot to click notify me of replies. I will go back to your website and ask again with the proper prompt. Thank you.