In the road in front of the house lay a dead gray squirrel, one of the innumerable wild creatures killed by vehicles each year.
Its death presented an opportunity for some camera trap videos. So I took the recently demised up the hill above the house and lay it down in front of one of my camera traps.
I’d done the same with a dead screech owl a few years ago with the resultant still images presented in this post.
As with the screech owl, I used a large steel spike to pin the carcass to the ground. Hopefully the spike would prevent some animal or bird from quickly making off with the remains.
Here are the videos –
The gray fox was quite tentative as it approached the squirrel: perhaps because of the camera trap’s infra-red light, perhaps because that’s how gray fox approach prey that’s rather large and might fight back, perhaps because that's how gray fox approach carrion.
Mated gray fox pairs often hunt together which may account for a fox appearing in clips after the squirrel had been carried off, or perhaps it’s the original fox come back for anything it missed.
The
opossum missed a meal, beaten to it by the gray fox. Maybe next time the opossum will get what it was looking for.
The same goes for my plan to get multiple species feeding on the dead squirrel – maybe next time.
Better luck next time!
ReplyDeleteToo bad about the squirrel, it happens more often. I find it an interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteI do this, as well. THing is, the coyotes come along and run away with it! Fun stuff.
ReplyDeleteI do see a lot of squirrels in the street, they are crossing the road at a bad time. Cool video of the fox with the carcass. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteWe have so many squirrels here...and the other critters need a good meal. Love your posts. I still had the one from last week up to enjoy at my leisure!
ReplyDeleteSad for the squirrel, but great that it gave you the opportunity to view more nature on the cam.
ReplyDelete