Thursday, September 29, 2011

Fall Color


Bright and sunny did not last very long this morning. Sunrise was flat with some high clouds and the cranes were moving south off the Refuge continuously for the first hour after sunrise. Leaves are falling with the high wind but color should remain for a few days.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

What was that?



This bear which I have dubbed big ears has been camera trapped several times at a couple different locations. At a previous camera location she may have been the bear that bent a rebar post to almost 90 degrees, try that some time. I think it was used as a scratching post. The same camera has been put at my all time favorite location monitoring a wolf scent post where this photo was taken.

Friday, September 16, 2011

First Frost


The thermometer said 19 degrees. My fingers said "frozen". Yesterday there was a frantic search for gloves, I finally found a matching set; left and right, blue and green. The geese were busy doing what they do best, eating. There was a set of opossum tracks in the sand on Phantom trail. I bet he was wondering how to get back to Iowa.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Trail Cams & Bears


There have been several bears moving in front of the trail cams this summer, most ignore it but others have taking an interest like this one. Another one used the rebar post the camera was attached to as a scratching post and bent the rebar to almost 90 degrees. I don't use a scent mask or blocker and although the camera may be out a week or more before the bear comes by they still seem to smell something. The camera used on this clip has an invisible infra red flash so I don't think the flash alerted it.

I prefer to have a bear notice the camera since one camera was cut off a tree by one of the primates walking in the woods. Fortunately the camera was found and returned by a more friendly member of the species.
Dale