Last week I posted an older opossum. Here’s a youngster. This was the first opossum my camera trap captured back in early October. Joeys stay with their Moms for about 100 days. They become sexually mature in six to eight months. And they typically only live for about two years. Here’s hoping I can capture babies with a mother in the same frame come spring. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/10 at 1/100th of a second, Cognisys camera box, triggering system and remote flashes.

I do love the jackrabbits. This black-tailed jackrabbit gave me a quick glance over the shoulder while in a bit of a clearing among all that desert scrub brush. You can also see the namesake black tail in this one. Photographed on a scorching hot day in the California desert about three hours southeast of Los Angeles. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/2000th of a second.

I was all set up for raccoons and opossums to climb up and down this tree, but got a tufted titmouse instead. The batteries on my fill flash went out, leaving only the main flash and a hidden flash behind the tree. In this photo it worked to my advantage, resulting in the hard shadow of the bird against the trunk. Always a nice surprise to capture the passing birds in the forest. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/11 at 1/160th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flashes.

Just a squirrel checking out my camera trap set up. By getting the camera box right on the ground — partially buried in the leaves — allowed this shot of a very common subject to be a bit more interesting than if taken at a higher angle. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second.

Most of the opossums that I photographed with the camera trap toward the end of the summer and throughout fall were younger. I moved the trap to another location in December and caught this old timer a few times. Also known by their proper name of Virginia opossums, they are the only marsupials found north of Mexico. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Cognisis camera box, trail monitor and remote flashes.

Pika are most closely related to rabbits, although they look more rodent like. They live in mountainous regions of North America, Asia and parts of Eastern Europe. This species is the American pika, photographed at Mount Evans in Colorado. As you can see, they are quite round, and look like little furry softballs. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/200th of a second.

I spent the better part of a morning with these two red fox pups as they played in the grass, waiting for their mother to return with breakfast. Photographed down on the Delaware Bay. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.

With all the cold weather and snow outside, our local mice are doing their best to join us on the inside. With two cats, however, they don’t stand much of a chance. Here’s a deer mouse from better days back in October, getting a bit of excercise in the back woods. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/11 at 1/160th of a second, Cognisys camera box, triggering system and remote flashes.

We have a lot of blue jays in our yard. And occasionally one flies in front of my camera trap. This bit of jay action was recorded back in November. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/11 at 1/160th of as second, Cognisys camera box, triggering system and flashes.