Enough Different Stuff

I haven't been pleased with any cam's recent catches, but I suppose now that I have several days of photos and videos, there's enough different stuff for a new blog entry.

My idea for the next 3 photos was to watch the mushroom grow over time. Instead, we get to see it destroyed. The plan may have worked if I hadn't thrown critter mix on the ground near it.

Next up, a couple of blue jay videos where you'll learn that they swallow kernels of corn whole and like peanuts in the shell.

The last day of September was an overcast dreary day. In the woods it was dark enough that that the cam shot black-and-white. The first video below shows a bird with what seems to be a white head - a bird I can't identify.

Watch for the squirrel to go racing from right to left in the background about 2 seconds after the bird flies away.

It's rare that my cams catch one of these field mice. I'm guessing that they move so quickly that they're normally gone before the camera can come to life.

And finally, if the bird is flexing in an attempt to look bigger and intimidating to the chipmunk so it will leave, the effort is fruitless.

Bill's Platform Feeder

One of my brothers made this hanging feeder for me a few years ago and this week I took it to the woods. Unfortunately, the batteries in the camera died before it caught a whole lot, but here are three short videos. (They're small on this page and much better viewed in full-screen mode.)

Up first, a chipmunk is feeding when a bird flies up from below, and they scare the crap out of each other.

It appears, though, that if properly introduced, chipmunks and birds CAN share the platform (if only for a second or two).

But will two chippies share the space, or will it become a matter of King of the Mountain?

Critter Mix Brings a Mix of Critters

I'm disappointed that the cam didn't catch a buck headed down to Amy's Crossing but pleased to have a variety of visitors to this spot.

I bought 10 lbs. of Critter Mix and 10 of Woodpecker Mix at White's Mill. It works!

These birds were there for hours. I'm guessing they're crows.

The sunlight really varies at this spot. This doe picked a good time to stop by.

This fellow needs to fatten up before Winter!

Not a great chipmunk photo - but it's the first of the year so it will have to do.

Special Edition for Athens, Ohio: The Cat

I saw this cat's photo last week but didn't think much about it. Last night, though, I had a dream about trying to feed the same cat in about 6" of snow in the woods. Today I'm thinking that maybe it's not simply a stray cat and that maybe somebody knows of a cat that's gone missing in the general area of Old Route 33 near the Last Chance Corral. Who knows if it will show up again, but at least I know where to start looking. You can contact me at orth@ohio.edu

Sunday Special Edition: Return to Amy's Crossing

Not only was I honored and pleased to attend Tim and Amy's recent wedding, but this week Amy shared some photos from their trail cam in the woods. You may recall that Amy found this active spot last year where deer (and other critters) cross the creek.

Today you'll see a coyote, a buck with an unusually-narrow rack, and another buck with a beautiful rack. Amy's already claimed dibs on that one!

Videos of a Variety of Visitors

We're still at the mineral lick though the water in it is gone. In today's videos, you'll see brief appearances by a rabbit, squirrel, opossum, deer and some guy working on the path.

Nature's Mineral Water?

When you put a small mineral block on the ground in the woods, deer will lick it until the rains eventually dissolve it. Once the block is gone, the deer will eat the clay containing the minerals, and after a couple of years you have a pretty good size hole in the ground.

Then, when heavy rains come, the clay base of the hole holds water for a few days. The deer seem to enjoy the resulting salty mineral water - while ignoring the apples I left them.

Cleaning Off a Memory Card

I haven't had a camera in the woods for a couple of months but am going to set one up this weekend. Here are a few photos from the last time I had a camera out. The pictures aren't great but posting them lets me make sure the blog still works ;)

This one creeps me out. When I zoomed in on those black spots I discovered that they're not burrs. They're deer ticks - ugh.

More Scenes from the Mineral Lick

A few more (poor quality) videos showing the things deer do.  First up, the bucks are getting their new antlers now, and they're covered with a soft furry velvet. 

Sometimes that velvet itches.

Something in the woods has this deer on alert.

And finally, another look at the lip-smacking good minerals.

Survivor?

I put a fresh trace mineral block at the lick the other day. The bucks are just now starting to get their new antlers for the year and they seem to crave the salt. I'll show you one of those young bucks tomorrow but for today I have two videos that seem to show a doe that survived getting shot by a bow hunter. Look at the 6:15am visitor's shoulder and see if you agree that the deer has a piece of an arrow sticking out of it.  Whatever it is, the injury seems to have healed. (You'll probably want to watch in full-screen mode.)

Here's one more video - a humorous look at the reaction caused by licking the block.

CreekWalk: The Last Stop

I retrieved the cameras yesterday and it's a good thing I did as the creek is roaring today from all the rain and snow melt. One of the cameras had nothing but squirrel videos, while the other was set up to catch close-ups of birds. There were over 500 photos on the memory card - here is a sampling.

Creekwalk Sunday Special Edition: Return to Amy's Crossing

Earlier this week Tim and Amy stopped by to check their trail cam for the first time in two months. Along with pictures of birds and raccoons and squirrels and dogs and me, they found these!

A 10-pointer!

Devil Deer

At first I thought the cam caught the coyote taking a leak, but in both of these pics and a 3rd blurry one that I didn't include, the same leg is off the ground. Makes me think that perhaps the leg is injured.

A BIG thank-you to Amy for sharing these with me and breathing some life into the blog!

CreekWalk: A Good Ways Up the Creek

Pretty much just cleaning off memory cards today, and I have very little to share. If I didn't know better, I'd think there's nothing that lives in the woods but birds. (You will see proof of other critters in tomorrow's Special Sunday Edition.)

This last photo is interesting, in that there are no animals to be seen in the shot. Something went by and triggered the camera but was gone before the cam came to life and snapped the shot.
 

Why do I find that interesting? Because whatever triggered the camera also awakened the video cam across the creek. Again, though, it was not in time to catch whatever was passing through.