BellaRex Camera Update

BellaRex

Which way did he go?

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.

Camera Trap Update: What's on the Pippin Camera?

The Pippin Camera

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!
_______________________________________________________________________

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 Starlight Camera Update

The Starlight camera was our first sponsored camera.  It is a Bushnell "no flash" camera. This means that it has a dark screen over the LEDs so that no red glow flash is seen by animals or people.  

This camera got nearly 3200 images in burst mode.  We got 3 images every time the detector sensed motion.  We got a ton of great information about what went on at this particular location.

Despite the vast amounts of info, the quality is not the greatest.  However, that is the tradeoff for so many images on one set of batteries. 

This camera was so well hidden that it took us 3 extra days to recall exactly where we had placed it.  Starlight was in a great ocular void as far as humans were concerned.

About this place: The camera was strapped to the base of a small tree and faced a trail that had a slight decline.  The rock in the center of the trail was very popular with many of the animals.  Behind the rock is a little dip in the trail.

This is one of the first images we got.  A Tinamou to the right of the rock.

A beautiful pair of  wild turkey sized Great Curassows.  These are hens.

The Hens have found a meal of some sort.

The male Great Curassow strolls by.

An Agouti with young.

Agouti with 2 young.

Unidentified bird triggers the camera.

The Whitenosed Coati digs up a meal.

The coati pack arrives.

Agouti and a bird on the rock.

Tamandua or Anteater visits the rock

The Coati stops on the rock.

A Capuchin monkey checks out the rock.

The Tayra catches his breath on the rock.

A pair of Pacas pass by.

One of several ocelots that walked the trail.

Another of several ocelots that walked the trail.

 The most seen animal from the Starlight camera was the agouti.  It was also a hugely popular place for the Tayra as well.  It probably had one of its dens nearby.  We were able to get many images of he Tayra coming and going along this trail.

The Tayra

The Tayra stares at the rock.

The Tayra in living color.

 

I suggest that you enlarge this video to see it better.  

The Starlight camera suffered in the climate and stopped working when I changed the batteries. When I returned home, it was sent back to Bushnell and today a new replacement camera arrived from them.  

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.