End of the Midden Project
Summing Upby Dan Hartman
Oct. 23, 2021
Earlier in the month, Bill Hamblin called and asked if we might go get the camera traps.Well, I had been on crutches for the last three weeks with a swollen knee and really had planned on waiting til I could walk. However, bad weather was on the way, and I've used crutches in the woods before, so I told Bill, let's give it a try.
The next afternoon, Cindy and I, along with Bill, made our way down the mountain side to collect as many cameras as I could make it to.
We eventually gathered up nine of the eleven I had out, with two just being too steep and far to reach. On one camera, I replaced the batteries and card then repositioned it. This I planned to leave all winter.
To be honest, I was disappointed with the footage. It had been three weeks since we had last pulled the cards so I expected half the season on the cards. Apparently the peak was over early. The only bear footage was of the small grizzly and two cubs. I did find several shots showed her left front paw is missing three toes. It's an old injury, probably caused by a leg trap.
The martens and weasels continued to hunt in the middens. Also more snowshoe hare footage and a shot of a porcupine.
Two weeks later, when I could walk again, Cindy and I hiked down to get the trap I had planned to leave out all winter. Checking the footage, we found images of coyote and fox and also flying squirrel.
We only captured one solo grizzly,but to be honest the best thing we got was a beautiful snowfall, burying the entire midden.
To sum up. We captured 15 different mammal species and 10 different birds. Cementing the thought that for three weeks every year, the midden is the place to be!
A list of species:
Junco, robin, gray jay, grouse, flicker, stellars jay, clarks nutcracker, thrush, saw-whet owl, chickadee, squirrel, chipmunk, mice, voles, flying squirrel, weasel, pine marten, snowshoe hare, porcupine, grizzly, black bear, fox, coyote, elk and mule deer.
(Gary, sorry about the Red Sox.)
Photos
OLD TWO TOES
BLACK BEAR
PORCUPINE
MARTEN
GRIZ&CUB
GRIZZLY
GRIZZLIES
SNOWSHOE HARE
GRIZZLY BED