Category: Wildlife

Less than a year

On By CarynIn Wildlife

I first attached a deer antler to the squirrel feeder tree in June 2025. Here is what was left after 11 months.

Photo description: small section of deer antler scored with squirrel teeth marks screwed to a Post Oak tree

I took one of the other antlers that I had already harvested parts off for craft projects and replaced the devoured antler.

Photo description: partially sawed antler screwed to a Post Oak tree

I watch the squirrels gnaw on the antler everyday. They get minerals from the antler and also wear down their constantly growing teeth.

Doe

On By CarynIn Wildlife

In the collection of trail cam photos there were deer!

Photo description: trail cam photo of a deer during daylight hours, full side view

She walked into the camera view sniffed around a little, then left. She had a buddy in the background. Only the one sighting of the herd in three weeks at this trail cam location.

Not buddies

On By CarynIn Wildlife

I collected the trail came videos from the last three weeks and realized that I need to collect them more often. There were 1,000 photos on one card and 4,000 on the other. Yikes. Mostly known cats, then a smaller percentage of opossums, raccoons, deer, and an armadillo.

I kept seeing pairings of raccoon and opossum photos, so I selected those for download.

Photo description: night vision view of a raccoon and opossum on a small wood porch

While not fighting enemies, these two aren’t friends either.

Photo description: same two animals, opossum has its mouth open

Still, they occupied the porch together circulating around the bowls looking for snacks for over ten minutes.

Odd couples

On By CarynIn Cats, Wildlife

I’ve had a few interesting interactions caught on the trail cam of unexpected pairs.

Photo description: night vision trail cam photo of a raccoon on a bench and a tabby cat walking on the nearby porch. The cat spotted the raccoon and slipped on by.
Photo description: night vision trail cam photo of two opossums, which is unusual because they are solitary. As soon as the one on the ground noticed the one on the bench, the moment was over and it left.
Photo description: night vision trail cam photo of an opossum on the coop porch and a raccoon on hind legs looking at it. The opossum actually held its ground, but the raccoon didn’t care. The raccoon got onto the porch, checked for snacks, then left, all while the opossum huddled against the door.
Photo description: night vision trail cam photo of an opossum on the ground, and a short haired black cat stepping down off the porch. The cat carefully navigated around the opossum.

I have my trail cam set to take photos every three seconds when there is movement, so the shots on either side of the ones I selected above told me the story. I chose the most representative photo to share.

From this set of data, it seems the raccoons are top, then opossums, and then the cats come in last, giving the others wide berth.

Stocked

On By CarynIn Wildlife

We went to the Fort Worth Zoo the other day and I got a kick out of seeing the wild heron fishing at the fish stocked hippo tank.

Photo description: slightly damp heron standing at the edge of the hippo pool, which is full of fish as seen through the glass on the bottom half of the photo

Fish are kept in the hippo pool as a natural cleaning crew for dung, algae, and hippo skin.