Because we know that fun will be had, and great critters caught.
In this case, around the SFSU Field Campus in the Tahoe National Forest, next to the Yuba River, and near the Yuba Pass, as primer eye-candy for his yearly camera trapping workshop.
A class we-who-gathered had all taken last year and thoroughly enjoyed - the curriculum, the Codge, the classmates, the campus and the countryside.
So going back to trap around that beauty area was a treat not to be missed.
Like the Codger, I too set on the slope where the elusive Martes americana had been glimpsed.
Taking a slightly different approach to his extremely cool l o n g log set, I planted my cam in tight to the scene, using a jumble of rocks to create a theater of focal area.
Set on outcrop for marten
The rock theater forces the focal plane
And then I dabbed a smelly scent in the cracks and crevices.
My marten visited 3 nights to frenetically search for the source of the stench...
5 nights after we set at 3:34am
5 nights later at 12:45am
"Is it in there?"
"Under there?"
"Over there?"
8 nights later at 9:20pm
One more try
Off to the next episode...
Hard to tell for sure if it's just one, and the same one as visited the Codge's set.
So for now, it's just another manic marten.
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References:
- My trip photos from visits to the campus - 2010 workshop, this quick trip
- Camera Trap Codger - Marten at dawn
- San Francisco State University - Sierra Nevada Field Campus
- Wikipedia - American Marten
great shots! poor thing!
ReplyDeleteawesome! =) Nice work. =)
ReplyDeleteYou and the Codge are on fire with these martens!
ReplyDeleteMustelids are always may personal favorites to catch on camera traps. They seem to be the most difficult to find and get pics of, so snapping some seems like a real achievement.
Nice work, RT!
Bravo and kudos. This is brilliant stuff. Incredible work. Someday you ought to tackle Fishers and Wolverines. Do you ever get any of your photos published in magazines etc? You should be making some income for your work. Is there a how-to book about camera trapping out there?
ReplyDeletewhat kind of scent did you put to attract the animal?. Great shot, love it and always enjoyed your post
ReplyDeleteDenis
Thanks again all (as usual!).
ReplyDeleteYep Trailblazer, the small and always on the move mustelids are tough to get, and thus a treat. Now if I can just get some long-tailed weasel or badgers in color...
John - I've had a few photos published here and there, but nothing major. As for how-to books, I don't think there's any yet, but the Cam Trap Codger is thinking about it.
Denis - you can almost use anything a bit smelly and most animals will stop to give it a sniff as they pass by.
Super close-ups, Ken. We're looking forward to your next installments from the Tehachapis and Owens Valley.
ReplyDelete