Have you ever wondered what that sound outside your window late in the evening was? A hoot, a howl, or a perhaps a scratching noise outside?
When I lived in New York City, I didn’t want to know, but here in the wilds of the Sonora Desert, where I live now, I got curious. So, a couple years ago I decided to get a trail cam, not knowing it would become my new hobby. The way most of these devices work is they have a passive infrared sensor that will start video recording or still shooting when it detects a change in temperature within say 50 ft. or so. Battery powered and water resistant, you can leave them out in any weather for up to a month before your smart card fills or the batteries run out. At night they film using their own built in infrared light source which most animals don’t seem to mind. I first saw these relatively inexpensive cameras used by the BBC on a few of their animal specials (no one does in better in my opinion,btw) which gave me the idea and impetus to get one. You can pay $50 to $500 for one with all the bells and whistles. I found a $50 one works just fine. Setting it up was easy. I have this decorative fountain that came with the house so, I figured it would be an excellent place for a capture. It turned out I was right. Over time, just about every critter in the vicinity stopped for a drink, and when they did, these cameras would record them while I was fast asleep. Checking them in the morning is ritual fun for me. You never know what you might get. Below is the best from about a years worth of short movies. I had a little fun with the titles, just so you know. Enjoy!