Using a Trail Camera to Make Bird Videos

from Talkin’ Birds Ambassador Elise Torello of Wakefield, RI.

I live in a wooded location near water and was very curious what animals might be living here.  I set up my first trail camera a few years ago and started seeing some common animals--deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and the occasional turkey.  I got better at picking the location and set up of my camera and started seeing foxes and coyotes, but also started to be dissatisfied with the performance of my camera.  So I did some research and purchased a new camera, and through trial and error (and adding a few more cameras), started getting some really amazing videos of animals.  The bobcats and river otters were especially exciting for me.  Along with these wonderful mammals, I started seeing (and hearing) some wonderful birds.  Sometimes, I'd see a wonderful animal (like a bobcat) and hear a wonderful bird or two (Chuck-will’s-widow and Eastern Whippoorwill) at the same time!  

Some of these birds are real rock stars.  The gorgeous Great Blue Heron that spent a lot of time fishing in front of my camera in spring 2019 really impressed me with the large fish it caught and ate.  I also recently had a spectacular video of a beautiful Great Horned Owl in daylight--a rare treat.  I put together a compilation of some of our feathered friends for a local nature video festival (https://www.environmentcouncilri.org/content/2020-rhode-island-nature-video-festival).  I also saw a Worm-eating Warbler recently. I'll admit I had to get some help identifying that one!

It's been a lot of fun seeing these birds going about their business when they think nobody is looking.  A great resource for anyone looking to get into camera trapping is this book:  Camera Trapping Guide: Tracks, Sign, and Behavior of Eastern Wildlife, by Janet Pesaturo.  

Here are some of my favorite bird videos:

Great Horned Owl:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LorwgukQ7pY

Worm-eating Warbler:  https://youtu.be/pbiUEA4NYpI

Bobcat, Chuck-will’s-widow and Eastern Whippoorwill:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obF8yYptHyw

Great Horned Owl and Chuck-will’s-widow:  https://youtu.be/KhKhlcR-o1s

Nuthatch gathering moss for a nest:  https://youtu.be/KGllSTSz-Jg

A Good Place for Seawatching on the Island of Hawai'i

From listener Lance Tanino, Kamuela, Hawai’i.

Pelagic birding is one of the most popular forms of birdwatching around the world, but how often do you hear about seawatching? Seawatching is land-based monitoring of seabird migration from the coast, so you don’t have to worry about seasickness. 

Are you wondering how to hear about the most popular seawatching locations in the U.S.? The Seawatching group on Facebook is a place to share your favorite seawatching locations and observations. 

Compared to the mainland, the Hawaiian Islands aren't known for spring and fall bird migrations. Nonetheless, in 2014 I discovered that Keokea Beach Park in the North Kohala district of Hawai'i County is a good place to observe spring and fall seabird migration. Local seabird residents and those passing through the Hawaiian Islands come from Australia, New Zealand, and Chile. International species that have been observed with regularity include Sooty and Short-tailed Shearwaters, Juan Fernandez Petrel, Mottled Petrel, Cook's Petrel, and Buller's Shearwater. 

I hope to see you out there with your spotting scope and binoculars during migration.