The Ojos de Lalla camera was one of the older Scoutguard cameras. It has an incandescent flash for color night time images. For daylight, it was set to record 10 second color videos. The batteries lasted from July until early October. We recorded over 776 activations over that period of time.
We have sorted through and condensed them into a three minute video with ocelots, tayra, coati, a capuchin monkey, and a feeding white hawk. Here is the video. I suggest that you maximize the screen size.
We replaced the batteries and in January. The camera continued to function, but began to video and flash capabilities. Since we were still able to get some daytime images, we left the camera in hopes of having at least a few photos. One of the last great images that we got from this camera is this one of an erect cappuchin monkey staring at the camera.
"I'm cool"
We have been patiently tucking small contributions away in hopes that we could get a wireless cellular camera set up. Those cameras are expensive and the technology is improving. I reached out to Scoutguard last week after reading on their website that they are involved in conservation projects. Word came back late Saturday afternoon that they would sponsor camera and help with the wireless set-up. We are extremely excited to be able to get email images in real time. Scoutguard has been one our favorite preforming cameras and has delivered us many great videos and beautiful images.
HCO Scoutguard's newest wireless camera.
UPDATE 7/8/14--The new camera, shown above, did not arrive at Scoutguard in time for them to ship one to us before we left. We won't be able to deploy it until early 2015.
We leave for Costa Rica in the middle of the week with new and replaced cameras, batteries and memory cards. I'll be reporting back with what we hope will be some great images that were captured over the last 4 months. ______________________________________________ NartureSpy from the UK has named us one of the top camera trappers to follow on Twitter: Follow @OchoVerde _____________________________________________________________________ To see all of our camera trap videos, follow this link. _______________________________________________
The Tayra was a star on the Mono Precioso Camera last fall.
The Mono Precioso camera is a Bushnell Trophy cam. It was set to take 3 images per trigger. It was placed near what I though was a good animal trail. It was at the bottom of the mountain where the terrain began to flatten. There are permanent water sources nearby as well as a pasture and plenty of tall trees.
There is a chance that this camera recorded the biggest variety of animals of all of the cameras that we used. We also were able to record some rare predation activity and an extremely rare aquatic mammal.
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Capuchin monkeys are mostly up in the trees, but they do come to the ground(but still on a tree). The Mono Precioso camera trap caught the monkeys very near the ground on three separate occasions. However, the 9/15 visit shows what is perhaps a pair that is taking a look around.
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The weasel-like Tayra seemed fond of this trail. We assume that it was a male as best we could tell from the photos. He seemed most active in the mornings. The Tayra is an omnivore, eating fruits, insects, nuts, birds eggs, reptiles, and small mammals.
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While reptiles are common at Ocho Verde, we rarely see them on the trail cameras. The Mono Precioso camera was able to spot this male iguana(orange head). It was probably heading out to the pasture edges to sun itself.
Unfortunately, Iguanas and Tayras don't get along so well together. On October first, the Tayra crosses the camera at 8:26 am. Six short minutes later, it returns again with the iguana in it's maw.
In addition to the tayra and a few ocelots, the Mono Precioso camera also caught the Neotropical River Otter. This site is 150-200 meters from the permanent water source.
We only saw the otter on one day, and we felt fortunate that our water source is pristine enough for these neat animals.
We have also rendered a few videos from the Mono Prcioso camera. As always, maximize the screen size for better viewing.
The first video involves the Tayra.
The Second video is a compilation of nearly all images from July thru January set at a fast pace. Definitely need a max screen size for this one.
You can keep up with nearly all the camera trap updates by subscribing to this blog and see all the videos plus some others on the Ocho Verde Youtube Channel.
If you like Twitter, we often announce updates to the blog and videos through tweets.
Vamos has a popular Facebook & Webpage with up to date info on road closures, etc.
We have been going to Costa Rica for years. I thought that the hassles of renting a car were just part of the less-than-pleasant aspect of travel in Costa Rica. We were tricked, lied to, reservations 'lost', overcharged, etc by most of the larger franchised rental car companies. That alone kept us searching for a better rental car service. We finally found Vamos Rent-a-Car, and it has been an absolute pleasure to deal with them on every trip. When I was putting this project together, I wondered if we could get any support from inside Costa Rica. I immediately thought of Vamos and sent an email off to them describing our project. Within minutes...literally...I received word back that they "would be honored", to sponsor a camera. Thus the "Vamos Camera" was born. This camera is a Bushnell Trophy Camera. It was set to take two images when triggered. The camera was located a a place we call "Three Sisters". The trail forks near three huge trees(the 3 sisters), the left trail goes up to the ridge up near the Walkabout camera and the right trail meanders through the forest and eventually winds up near the lower pasture where the Pippin Cam and the Mono Precioso Camera(upcoming) cameras are located.
I suspected that this would be a good location for a camera as 3 trails came together. This spot was where the Vamos Camera was aimed. We were not disappointed. The Vamos camera snapped over 3,200 images on one set of batteries. Here is some of what we got:
The Tayra, always in motion.
The Tayra, always in motion.
The Tayra, always in motion.
The Tayra, always in motion.
The Tayra, always in motion.
The Tayra, always in motion.
The Tayra, always in motion.
Male Curassow
Male Curassow
Anteater
Paca
Agouti with young
I originally thought Tayra, but this is the Jaguarundi.
I originally thought Tayra, but this is the Jaguarundi.
Ocelot
Ocelot
Ocelot
Ocelot
Ocelot
Mystery animal #1. What do you think it is?
Mystery animal #2. What do you think it is?
Mystery animal #2, a second later. What do you think it is?
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below.
Keep an eye out for reports from the
remaining cameras as I'll be posting them over the next few weeks. You
can subscribe to the blog and get notified when I post, or you can check
back when it is convenient.
Follow @OchoVerde The technology exists to receive live(+ 3 minutes) text or email images from the new 2014 model cameras. Contact me at OchoVerde@gmail.com, if you are interested in participating in this type of project. A few of us could 'split' a camera. The images can be sent to up to 5 numbers/email addresses. We could start it in July, 2014.
For you camera trap junkies(like myself), here are all 3207 images in a quick video, 0.2frames/second. If you see something interesting, let me know and we can investigate it further/zoom in. In addition to what is listed above, there will be: squirrels, lizards, tinamou, dove, common opossum, spiny rat, crab eating raccoon, white nosed coati, etc.
The BellaRex camera is a Moultrie 880i. We had it set to take 30 second daylight videos and 20 second night time videos. It took over 200 videos during the life of the batteries.
We discovered that all of the Moultrie cameras had a firmware problem when switched to video mode. It artificially 'zoomed' the video, which was different from photo mode. While we would normally appreciate a zoomed video, the 'eye' which triggers the camera ended up being much wider than the lens could capture. As a result, it missed many animals that it would have captured in photo mode. For example, the camera just across the trail got this stunning image of Jaguarundi:
We have matched up the time and date and discovered that the BellaRex camera was triggered by the jaguarundi, but it was just off screen left. We would have had a nice 30 second video of this cat close up. Oh well...
The camera still ended up with some nice highlights of ocelots, tayras, curassows, a hawk, and tail-less Spiny Rat with a baby that had a tail.
The camera's firmware has been updated and it's rolling now up on a high trail.
Below is the compilation video. Note: it has natural sound.
If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below.
Keep an eye out for reports from the
remaining cameras as I'll be posting them over the next few weeks. You
can subscribe to the blog and get notified when I post, or you can check
back when it is convenient.
Follow @OchoVerde Visit the Ocho Verde YouTube Page for other scintillating videos.
The technology exists to receive live(+ 3 minutes) text or email images from the new 2014 model cameras. Contact me at OchoVerde@gmail.com if you are interested in participating in this type of project.
The Pippin camera was the final sponsored camera. The contribution for Pippin pushed our fundraising project over the top. It is a white flash day/night color camera. Although it has daytime video capability, we opted to keep it in photo mode for the duration of its term.
Pippin cam took 540 photos and lasted from July, 22 to October 27. This camera was moved near the end of our stay in July to a trail near the Mono Precioso camera. It bordered lowland pasture and was at the base of the mountain. Looking out, there is pasture beyond the lens and on the camera's right. To the left and behind the camera is a gradual to steep incline up 200 meters.
We were very pleased with the clear images.
This agouti is is just one of the many critters that liked to cross the downed tree.
Here is our common opossum.
The tinamou.
The tinamou.
2 Tinamous.
Notice the time here. 4:27pm
In 32 minutes, a spider web is finished.
Great Curassow Hen
Great Curassow Hen
Great Curassow Hen
Great Curassow Hen
Originally, I thought this was a male Great Currasow.
Closer inspection yielded that it was a Black Vulture.
Here is the male Curassow.
Here is the male Curassow.
Another pass of the male Curassow.
Another pass of the male Curassow.
A Capuchin Monkey came for a visit.
A chubby Paca.
A chubby Paca. Just one of many that wandered by.
This was one of several anteaters that passed by.
Tail markings help identify individuals.
Here's the 'barefooted' Crab Eating Raccoon.
See anything here?
A Green Iguana used this as his hangout for a while.
The Tayra was seen crossing this log many many times.
We even saw him once with a large male iguana in his mouth.
How about some cats:
We think this ocelot is a young one.
We think this is a young ocelot.
This is a different individual.
It has different neck stripes.
This is a big Ocelot.
A closer look shows what looks like an injured front leg.
Here is another muscular ocelot.
This is a different individual from the one with the injury.
When we changed batteries, the Pippin cam went berserk. It began to uncontrollably flash and not take any pictures. It made a trip back to the USA and was sent off for warranty replacement. Pippin has a surrogate camera snapping away while looking right at that fallen log that these animals enjoy visiting.
As the batteries ran down...we got a crazy rainbow shower.
_________________________________________________________________________ Update: March 14, 2014: The sponsor of this camera passed away yesterday at the age of 90. Libby was a natural history enthusiast who was active in Audubon societies where ever she lived. She worked with researcher John C. Lilly at his dolphin communications lab in Miami in the 1960's. She also wrote several books on natural history.
We got an email from her in early February saying how much she was enjoying the 'critter cam' updates. Thanks, Libby, for supporting our project!
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If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below.
Keep an eye out for reports from the
remaining cameras as I'll be posting them over the next few weeks. You
can subscribe to the blog and get notified when I post, or you can check
back when it is convenient.
Follow @OchoVerde Visit the Ocho Verde YouTube Page for other scintillating videos.
The technology exists to receive live(+ 3 minutes) text or email images from the new 2014 model cameras. Contact me at OchoVerde@gmail.com if you are interested in participating in this type of project.
