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Friday, December 18, 2020

Two little cams and lots of wildlife that survived the wildfire

Just before the fire broke out that caused us to evacuate Lab Valley, I set up two trail cameras, each facing in opposite directions, along a path next to a stream. I chose the spot because there are bear-marking trees there. The jet-black fur stuck to the tree's sap told me that bears had used it sometime within the previous few months. I always try to set up cams to see the mating rituals of bears in the fall before the spring mating season. Otherwise, I might miss the earliest bears.

Then, very soon after I set up the cams, the winds raged off of the Divide and multiple wildfires broke out in Colorado. One was very close to us. After we evacuated, slurry bombers hit the fire hard and prevented it from burning too much forest. 

It's a small thing but all of the activity made a bush fall partway in front of one cam - and that's why the view is partially blocked.

This pair of cams was in the midst of that insanity. Firefighters swarmed the area, and fire retardant painted all of the trees red. Smoke was thick, and I thought that all of the animals who could flee would do so.

I was wrong. In the midst of it all, a mountain lion family passed the cams looking perfectly relaxed - far more relaxed than any of us humans. A few days later, a coyote ran past the cam carrying a deer leg. My guess is that the lion family had killed and eaten that deer, and the coyote was scavenging what remained.

Check out the video. I am thankful to the firefighters who kept the entire area from going up in flames and saved the lives of so many animals.


15 comments:

  1. wow while e. coyote has a mighty bone ...

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  2. The coyote looks pretty proud to be carrying his find.

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  3. wait, so the fire scene in the movie Bambi was not realistic? :-)

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  4. What a great place for your cameras, a critter highway. When I hear that a million acres burned in California, and then more, and more again, I worry there will no more wild animals left in our state. It feels good to see these animals moving around calmly. And firefighters are my heroes. I'm looking forward to more videos from these cameras.

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  5. i am so happy they are safe and you are too. the turkeys made me laugh, following the trail like they were out for a sunday hike. the whole thing is amazing to me that they all walk that trail, just like humans do

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  6. Your cams caught some great activity. We hope all those animals survived the fires.

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  7. We always worry about the forest critters when the evil fires break out!

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  8. Amazing footage! Thanks for sharing.

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  9. OH KB delightful news and cam views
    Hugs Cecilia

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  10. Wow!! Another "wildlife" highway! So very happy to see so much wildlife in Lab Valley

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  11. What good sights to see after the fires! ♥

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  12. Oh my what a bunch of wonderful animals on that trail. I so enjoy your videos. You live in a most wonderful place.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend. Scritches to the pups. ♥

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  13. It's like Grand Central Station along the trail.

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  14. I don't think I have seen better nature videos anywhere.

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  15. We are so thankful those fires didn't take your new home and so much wildlife survived. The coyote sure is proud of his find!

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