Trail Camera Fun

I’d argue that there isn’t much you can buy for around £50 these days that would provide as much fun as a trail camera. Once the domain of the camera professional and serious enthusiast, modern technology has become much more affordable. If you aren’t too fussed about image quality, then around £50 is all you need to get a box of fun landing on your doorstep that will capture remotely triggered stills and video, day and night.

Above: Deer are regulars in front of the camera. ©Rob Read.

I parted with my cash a year or so ago and it’s proved to be a very entertaining investment. True, I’m never going to get publishable quality photos or video from the device (unlike some of the other Wild Read contributors – more on that in another article) but that was never my intention. No, I just wanted to have fun and see what was visiting the garden and what was lurking in my local woodland. You never know, it might also reveal regular pathways and hangouts for species that I could later go back and attempt to photograph with my ‘proper’ gear.

The other advantage is that I don’t worry too much about the equipment being pinched. True, I’d be a little miffed it someone did help themselves (but I do hide them quite carefully) but it’s not going to change my life if it did happen. Imagine saying the same thing about £5,000 of camera, lens and remote trigger!

I thought I would share with you a few snippets of footage I’ve been able to capture over the last few months. I don’t set it up as often as I would like, but when I have it has often revealed a few surprises and some quite good footage at times. And there is nothing quite like putting that memory card in the card reader and waiting for the surprises to appear on the screen – you never know what’s going to be on there. Please enjoy the clips – I have added a few notes of explanation to each one.

So, the next time someone doesn’t know what to get you for your birthday or Christmas, then why not ask them to kit you out with a trail camera? It’s a lot more fun than a pair of slippers or a new jumper!

 Rob Read. August 2021.

Above: I knew that foxes came into the garden on occasion, but it turns out they were a regular visitor. This footage was from the very first night I set the camera up. ©Rob Read.

Above: Probably my favourite bit of footage to date is this clip of a Badger taken in my local wood. Placing the camera along animal paths is a good way to see what is using the path. Animals can often be quite curious about the camera as this Badger shows. ©Rob Read.

Above: I’m lucky to have a number of Hedgehogs regularly visit the garden. The camera helped me to see what they got up to and to identify individuals. I love watching their antics! ©Rob Read

Above: And it isn’t always about the large animals. This Wood Mouse is pretty cute as it scurries around the woodland floor. Look out for those Tawny Owls! ©Rob Read