I came across this red fox years ago in Delaware while visiting Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. I believe the unfortunate bird is a grackle. But there were several pups back at the den who were quite appreciative upon Mom’s return. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.

I photographed this nine-banded armadillo on Merritt Island in Florida. Armadillos are virtually blind, so the trick to a close approach is to position yourself downwind and stay quiet. I was both in this case, until the armadillo either heard something or caught my scent and started to sniff the air for a few more clues. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 270mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.

I generally prefer a bit of background with my owl-in-flight shots, but this guy was intent on roosting on one of the taller trees in the area and had already risen above the background tree line. Photographed on my first trip to Sax Zim Bog in northern Minnesota in 2021. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.

This was one of the first opossums I captured when I started camera trapping in my backyard four years ago. A young one, out searching for a snack in the middle of the night. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/14 at 1/80th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and flash units).

Usually when a bobcat walks past one of my camera traps, the camera captures one or two images as it passes by. Last week we had a bobcat that was a little more curious. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 20mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/250th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and three remote flash units.

And… one more from the camera trap (at least until the next batch of creatures shows up). I get these flying squirrels from time to time when they drift down and land on the fallen tree. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 20mm lens, ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Camtraptions camera housing and triggers, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.

Here’s the second of my visitors last week. The camera caught the bobcat a bit early, but I had two flashes set up and the one tucked behind the tree gave off just enough light. As the bobcat continued down the tree, the camera took one more shot with the cat in the perfect position but its head was turned away. I’ll take what the trap gives me — and actually, ended up really liking this full crop with the bobcat emerging from the darkness. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 20mm lens, ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Camtraptions housing and triggers, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.

It was quite a week up at my favorite fallen tree — bobcat, weasel, flying squirrel, coyote and finally a red fox. With all the wildlife we get, I’m surprised we see so few red foxes in our yard. Most of the photos that the camera trap is capturing, however, have been of mice. They’re all over and around the tree, which of course, is why we have so many other visitors of the predatory variety. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 20mm lens, ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Camtraptions camera box and triggers, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.

A coastal brown bear chases after salmon at low tide, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second.

In addition to all the other wildlife running up and down my fallen-tree camera trap set up, is the nightly procession of mice doing their best to avoid the owls, weasels, bobcats, etc. This deer mouse was making a run for it and triggered the camera in a nice pose. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 20mm lens, ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Camtraptions camera box, field monitor and triggers, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.