Watching wildlife is fun! I like a good hike where some interesting birds and maybe a rabbit or snake might be spotted. I have seen multiple deer while on drives around central Texas. And live armadillos! (yes, I said live!) But, most of the time I just sit on my back porch watching to see what birds might come to my feeders or what the squirrels are up to. If I am lucky, I may spot a lizard or snake. Frogs and toads and dragonflies enjoy our small backyard pond. But, I have always wondered what animals might be coming around at night when we are tucked into dreamland. A couple of years ago we set up a wireless camera system (Arlo brand) and began to record images of animals that are not seen during the day. I want to share some of these with you. The images are not sharp, but most of the subjects can be identified.
From Our Backyard Cameras-
We think it digs under the fence and have blocked up likely areas. Do not want my dogs to encounter this critter!
Sometimes we record something we cannot easily i.d. such as the following photo of what I think is a gecko tail.
From Our Front Yard Cameras-
And on occasion we record spiders, moths, june bugs, rain, our pets, our legs while we are escorting our pets or when coming home from a late date. And sometimes a neighbor’s cat…we don’t have many of those around because of the critter in the previous photo.
But, my favorite so far is this pretty creature-
(June 2017) (seen in backyard once)
Natural Musings 
Thanks for sharing these critters, Betty! Coincidentally, I am out in the countryside, a developed large lot community and I sure do wonder about what comes around at night. I’ve seen a morning deer family and it must be deer who, just within the last few days ate the tops out of the Gorgeous Hibiscus my sister-in-law has in very large pots on metal stands. They are just about mouth height for the deer. We share this planet with all sorts of critters, many of who are only out during the night, so what a good idea a critter camera is! Here, I need to bring in the hummingbird feeder at night or critters empty it by morning. I’ve watched an orb spider from juvenile to full-grown now after several captured meals and a beautiful large anole lizard who posed for multiple shots. The hummers are the most entertaining as they vie for ownership of the two feeders, chasing others away. I am grateful for all other forms of life, mine too!
~joan
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Thanks for your thoughtful words. You might share my blog with them and maybe they would be interested in some cameras. I am amazed at all the stuff that visits our yard. Like Grand Central Station some nights!
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Betty, these photos are delightful. It’s always amazing how many animals manage to co-exist with us in our populated areas. I went for a walk fairly early a few mornings ago and saw a fox in the middle of my street. I got a good look at it, but as I approached it disappeared into a nearby yard. I knew from others that there are foxes in the neighborhood, but this is the first one I have seen. Small pleasures! Marcia
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Small pleasures indeed! Thanks for your kind words and sharing your fox story. I am grateful for the technology to capture these images.
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How fun! I’m tempted to get one as we live on the edge of a natural area and I’m sure there are lots of critters who visit at night.
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A simple camera system is not too costly. Our cameras can be moved around easily. One thing we have to be careful of is putting the camera by a plant…any bit of breeze will set the camera off. We do have to recharge the batteries too. I just checked last night’s captures…an opossum and a rat. We never know what we might get.
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Thanks for sharing, Betty. I know I have night creatures as well, mostly by what’s is knocked asunder
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Thank you Mary! And I know you must have some interesting critters cavorting in your yard at night.
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These are wonderful. It is amazing at what goes on while we sleep!
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Thanks for your kind words! Yes, it is amazing…a whole nother world!
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You’re welcome.
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Your images are delightful … my gears are turning re where we might mount camera (cameraS)? Our dogs get very excited some mornings when they first go out – their noses no doubt telling them more than a camera could; but a camera would communicate better with human curiosities!
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Thanks Jazz! We move our cameras around from time to time. It is always interesting to check each morning to see what might have come around. Sometimes a mammal or sometimes nothing. Last night we had an insect set the camera off.
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