SDTV

Sometimes (frequently), I have trouble finding a subject to write about and quite often it ends up being no more than captions for photographs.

Once in a while, however, my subject walks up the driveway….

But first let me tell you about SDTV:

We now have three trail-cams which are planted in strategic places around the property, one up by the stones – near where our departed pussycats are buried. There is a groundhog burrow nearby and we think the foxes have theirs behind the adjacent old stone wall.

The other two cameras are at opposite ends of the lower field. One records activity on the meander – the path that Grant keeps clear for me to walk easily. It follows a wildlife path.

The other camera is focussed toward the road going past the house and takes in another groundhog burrow that Grant discovered recently. It appears to be the favourite, currently.

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Originally, there may not have been a particular creature we thought to keep track of. We were just keen to see who was around, especially in the Spring.

A couple of years ago, the bird feeders suddenly got raided at night. Where they hang, raccoons can’t get to them. Finding scat, we suspected it was a bear and sure enough, the camera filmed one on the porch. We began bringing the feeders in at night. Eventually, the bear moved on, though it has been back twice since.

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We were surprised and a little alarmed to see the bear in daylight this year. They run away at the sight of humans, but there is a farm just up the hill and a horse ranch down the road where such a creature could get into serious trouble.

In my ideal world, I would have a sanctuary for all such animals, but alas.

Two years ago, the trail-cam was activated for a different reason. Little Man shot out an open door and vanished. Grant had been debating whether to let him out for walks with the girls who stay close to the house and return within 10 minutes.

This lad was not yet full grown and he had apparently been on some adventure when he decided to join us. We wondered if he would resume his travels, or return to wherever he’d come from. He seemed very content with us, but who can know a cat’s mind? Grant was debating putting the boy on a harness, but in the meantime the wretched creature escaped.

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By activating the trail-cam we were able to establish that our boy had, in fact, come back under cover of darkness. For reasons unknown, he seemed afraid to approach the house in daylight, so on the third night we figured out a way to bring him in.

Nowadays, Little Man stays away from the door and expresses no interest in going out, so perhaps he has satisfied his curiousity.

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Last year we were keeping track of wild turkeys and lately, it’s been baby groundhogs.

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After their first appearance in early June, we suddenly saw them no more, which had never happened before, but I am happy to say that they are now back.

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As well as these babies, we’ve been looking out for Baldy, the groundhog whose fur fell out. Not only did he survive a harsh winter, but he is thriving – and growing a new coat.

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Don’t ask how many photographs I have of groundhogs. Every time I see those sweet faces, I am compelled to capture them. Groundhogs have been such a delight to us here.

We arrived right at the end of September, 2018. Grant came with me from Seattle to facilitate the transfer and to help get the cats settled, but after a few days he went back to the West Coast to sort out the house prior to it going on the market, leaving me with the 13 cats.

One evening as I stood in the kitchen after serving cat dinners, I sensed I was being observed. Strange, since I was alone and I knew there was no-one outside. Then I spotted a little face under the hedge. It was the first time I’d ever seen a groundhog and I’m not sure how I knew what it was. I suppose perhaps I remembered Punxsutawney Phil who gets hauled out on Groundhog Day every year.

The groundhog seemed to be scrutinising me and I felt it was evaluating the new tenant. I hoped I would measure up. Grant was gone for a couple of weeks but he got back just in time to see that groundhog before it went to hibernate. We have all been friends ever since.

Anyway, – SDTV? Film clips are recorded onto SD cards. Grant fetches them in each morning and calls me downstairs to watch the latest views: SDTV.

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We recently caught the briefest glimpse of a doe with a newborn, so we’d been hoping to catch them on the trail-cam.

It was very early in the morning and the light is not good, however:

This is facing the road that passes by the favourite groundhog burrow.

Not long after, they came back. This clip is but a few seconds:

Poor quality, but I love to see a fawn frolicking.

Had I been looking out the right window at the right moment, I probably wouldn’t have been able to raise the camera quickly enough. Timing is everything, as was brought home to us again Wednesday morning. We just happened to be out front when my next subject sauntered up the drive…

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