Got it on film at last!

[Bushwhacker]

It took some dirt time to select the right location but I managed to get the camera in the right place to capture something I've been tracking for months.

[video]http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/?action=view&current=PICT0022.mp4[/video]

 

[spandit]

Lovely! Otter, isn't it?

 

[Bushwhacker]

Lovely! Otter, isn't it?

Sure is.
What makes it for me is that this was taken only 4 hours after setting the camera.

 

[Shewie]

That's lovely, well done for persevering

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Nice one....he knew the camera was there !............the squirrel & badger ones were good too

 

[Bushwhacker]

Nice one....he new the camera was there !............the squirrel & badger ones were good too

Certainly did know.
To my eyes the IR LED's glow red I can only assume the otter could see it too.

 

[Toddy]

Nice one !

Good to see calm persistance pays off

You're right, that otter 'knew' there was something there, didn't it ?

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Mafro]

Thats superb footage. Well done mate

 

[robin wood]

interesting the badger knew it was there too. Does it have a movement sensor trigger that turns it on? and then does it make noise when it triggers or just ir light? Great footage well done. A fun toy.

 

[shaggystu]

wet ferrets, gorgeous. i'm sure i read something recently saying they're living in every county in the uk now, is that right? does anyone know where the closest place to me is that i might stand a chance of seeing wild otters, mother loves the things and i think watching them in the wild would be something really special for her (i live in derbyshire btween chesterfield and matlock)

stuart

 

[Bushwhacker]

interesting the badger knew it was there too. Does it have a movement sensor trigger that turns it on? and then does it make noise when it triggers or just ir light? Great footage well done. A fun toy.

It's 'supposed' to have invisible LED's but they give off a reddish glow to my human eye.
It's triggered by motion and heat and makes a very, very faint click when activated that I don't think would be discernible given the noise of the stream.
Scent is what I reckon might have something to do with it - I've only had it a couple of weeks and it has that plastic smell, so I think it needs to be weathered by leaving it outside for some time.

I'm so glad I bought it because I can put pictures against all my tracking evidence and it ties everything up really nicely especially times and location.

 

[HillBill]

Congrats mate. Thats a good bit of footage.

It defo saw the lights, that head bobbing was how they judge distance, same as what rabbits do. The more the thing they are looking at moves the closer it is. It wasn't sure what it was looking at and it was working out weather it posed a threat or not.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Congrats mate. Thats a good bit of footage.

It defo saw the lights, that head bobbing was how they judge distance, same as what rabbits do. The more the thing they are looking at moves the closer it is. It wasn't sure what it was looking at and it was working out weather it posed a threat or not.

The lights were my first concern, they're detracting the animal from natural behaviour.
Maybe I should try it on the 'photo' setting rather than video, but then I lose the benefits of the video which is what I really want.
Daytime and lowlight shots shouldn't be a problem it's just when it's dark. I'll keep plugging away and see what's best. Maybe an arial birdseye view would be out of sight a bit more.

 

[HillBill]

Higher up a tree looking down a bit might be a good idea

In a way it is natural behaviour. With the badger it brought out its natural curiosity, it had to come and have a look. With the otter it brought out its natural wariness to something unknown that wasn't identified as a threat immediately.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Higher up a tree looking down a bit might be a good idea

In a way it is natural behaviour. With the badger it brought out its natural curiosity, it had to come and have a look. With the otter it brought out its natural wariness to something unknown that wasn't identified as a threat immediately.

I reckon the proximity is another factor - for the otter it was only about 6ft away and for the badger it was slap bang on its trail although I had set the camera into a bank to view the rock and stream which was further away.

 

[Ivan...]

Hey , well done mate ! i know how much it means to you , brilliant !! i too am sure it was more likely the new smell , as the noise of the running water , should have covered any click ! chuffed for you pal , was it where you took me ?

Ps Katie has pinched my otter pin so next time we meet up could i have another please ? Kids eh !!

 

[Bushwhacker]

Hey , well done mate ! i know how much it means to you , brilliant !! i too am sure it was more likely the new smell , as the noise of the running water , should have covered any click ! chuffed for you pal , was it where you took me ?

Ps Katie has pinched my otter pin so next time we meet up could i have another please ? Kids eh !!

I missed it by about 18 hours at the spot I took you so knew from my records that it was heading downstream from there. I managed to catch up with it 4 miles away.

Katie's not really allowed a pin badge until she's sniffed otter poo. Ha ha!
I'll find another one out for you though buddy.

 

[TeeDee]

What type/make of camera is it? Great stuff by the way.

 

[Ivan...]

Cheers mate , if she does not come with me , i will take a piece home with me and will get photographic evidence of her sniff !!
I take it you stalked it down stream, its amazing the ground you can cover when your heart is pounding, and i know that it is not easy terrain !

But i bet the walk home with a warm glow took no time at all either , see you soon Ivan...

 

[Bushwhacker]

What type/make of camera is it? Great stuff by the way.

It's a Bushnell Trophy Cam 8mp.

Cheers mate , if she does not come with me , i will take a piece home with me and will get photographic evidence of her sniff !!
I take it you stalked it down stream, its amazing the ground you can cover when your heart is pounding, and i know that it is not easy terrain !

But i bet the walk home with a warm glow took no time at all either , see you soon Ivan...

I didn't so much stalk as intercepted it - I drove my car to another site!
Just from knowing the movement from the last few months I could put it in a ball park area, I then had to select a known spot from several in that locale.