Trail camera experts needed

Tringa

Tringa

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This video was recorded a few nights ago.

Does anyone have an idea what the 'thing' is that floats from left to right and lands o the ground?

It doesn't look like moths which I see fairly frequently. Moths definitely fly more directly and even small ones reflect more IR light.

After the thing on the video is on the ground for a while it appears to move around suggesting it has legs.

Any guesses welcomed.

Dave

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBDHZVzopAU
 
Definitely not an "expert" but my guess would be a beetle.
You can see the wings out vertically on either side and it is reflecting the light back very well from its body, maybe indicating something solid and shiny.
 
It's a spider, suspended on the end of a thread of silk (which you can see reflecting the IR light at 0:06 if you look closely), it's not on the ground at all, but suspended in front of the trail camera. You can see it climb back up the thread a short distance, with it's legs reeling in the silk. That's why it appears out of focus in comparison to the ground it appears to be walking on. (y)
 
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I think it is a field mouse. I used to leave my trailcams set up in woodland overnight. They were very common. For some reason the reflection from their eyes is very large in comparison to body size.
Notice the hedgehog in the background just in front of the plant pot.
 
No, it's definitely a spider, you can see the thread it's dangling from reflecting the IR light for a moment at 0:06 about an inch above it. It's the hedgehog that triggered the camera, the spider just happened to be dangling by at the time.
 
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Mr Badger said:
No, it's definitely a spider, you can see the thread it's dangling from reflecting the IR light for a moment at 0:06 about an inch above it. It's the hedgehog that triggered the camera, the spider just happened to be dangling by at the time.
Click to expand...

I am beginning to think I am looking at a different video. I don't see a trace of of any thread. I can see the "mouse" enter the picture at the top LHS and all the way across until over the path both it's large ears are very distinct.
How strange.
 
I have now looked at the video on Youtube. The two ears I saw do like more like halos on that, but it cannot see any thread.
 
arclight said:
I am beginning to think I am looking at a different video. I don't see a trace of of any thread. I can see the "mouse" enter the picture at the top LHS and all the way across until over the path both it's large ears are very distinct.
How strange.
Click to expand...
It's funny how the brain and eyes can play tricks, if you think you've recognised a shape you'll keep seeing it, a bit like buns that look like Mother Teresa's face, etc. If you have a look at the gap between the plant pot and the shubs to the right of the plant pot, just above the bottom of the fence, then at 0:06 you'll very briefly see the dull glint of the light shining on the thread of silk the spider is swinging from.

You'll probably need to watch this on a full size computer screen and draw the curtains in the room to increase definition. Hope this helps. PS The 'ears' are the out of focus legs of the spider.
 
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Mr Badger said:
It's a spider, suspended on the end of a thread of silk (which you can see reflecting the IR light at 0:06 if you look closely), it's not on the ground at all, but suspended in front of the trail camera. You can see it climb back up the thread a short distance, with it's legs reeling in the silk. That's why it appears out of focus in comparison to the ground it appears to be walking on. (y)
Click to expand...

you got some eye's on ya haven't you mate:LOL: I always thought I looked pretty hard at stuff (ha in my own little way) but no idea on this until reading your post Jules. I've been back and can see the thread clear as houses. Mate how long have you been playing with trail cams? ,Davey asked for trail cam experts and forgive me but I thought you might fit the bill you are really well read on them and have that nouce one only gains via experience. Forgive me i'm not calling you out :D just curious;)

cheers

stu
 
Stuart Philpott said:
you got some eye's on ya haven't you mate:LOL: I always thought I looked pretty hard at stuff (ha in my own little way) but no idea on this until reading your post Jules. I've been back and can see the thread clear as houses. Mate how long have you been playing with trail cams? ,Davey asked for trail cam experts and forgive me but I thought you might fit the bill you are really well read on them and have that nouce one only gains via experience. Forgive me i'm not calling you out :D just curious;)

cheers

stu
Click to expand...
I often use infrared night vision video cameras for work doing wildlife surveys, so have developed eyes like the proverbial poo-house rat when it comes to watching videos from NV cameras! ;) This includes looking for any movement and working out what any strange looking objects actually are (for instance, lacewings can look like miniature angels if they fly close to the camera and the IR illuminator reflects off them). I also have a large, curved, computer screen, so I can see the full frame more easily. However, if you go too large screen-wise, you can end up missing things, as you're looking at part of the frame and not all of it. Watching in a darkened room also helps, particularly if it's a bright or sunny day outside.
 
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Definitely a spider close to the camera for me. First thing I thought of before reading others comments.
 
Thanks for the replies, all. Spider seems quite likely as it seems to drift rather than fly. Still a bit of a puzzle but thanks for the suggestions.

Dave
 
Mr Badger said:
It's funny how the brain and eyes can play tricks, if you think you've recognised a shape you'll keep seeing it, a bit like buns that look like Mother Teresa's face, etc. If you have a look at the gap between the plant pot and the shubs to the right of the plant pot, just above the bottom of the fence, then at 0:06 you'll very briefly see the dull glint of the light shining on the thread of silk the spider is swinging from.

You'll probably need to watch this on a full size computer screen and draw the curtains in the room to increase definition. Hope this helps. PS The 'ears' are the out of focus legs of the spider.
Click to expand...

funny how the brain and eyes can play tricks, if you think you've recognised a shape you'll keep seeing it ........... that is very true.

to the right of the plant pot, just above the bottom of the fence, then at 0:06 you'll very briefly see the dull glint of the light ............ Yes - got it. I was looking for a long thin thread.

That's great, thanks. (y)
 
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