During the last year many people have noticed and appreciated the wildlife around them. This has also been the case here at Caring For Life, where, thanks to trust funding we have been able to record this activity on three new trail cameras. They have been positioned in various locations around our conservation area and gardens and have been busily recording all the different animals and birds that call this place home. They have recorded some surprising and amazing footage from early morning grazing deer to dive-bombing kingfishers to great spotted woodpeckers using our bird feeders. The beauty of trail cameras is that they are heat and movement activated and so can record wildlife at any time of the day or night. They can be left running outside of farm opening hours and can be positioned in different locations. The greatest thing about them has been the ability to use the footage to keep our precious beneficiaries involved with the farm in general and the Conservation project in particular whilst projects have been closed. Videos and photos have been sent out electronically or as a DVD in the post to encourage, engage and distract those in our care facing another day on their own at home.
With the opportunity for outdoor projects to open again soon the conservation project beneficiaries are keen to get back to the species monitoring activities they loved to take part in before – bumblebee surveys, wild flower walks, moth trapping. We have a beautiful slice of Yorkshire countryside to reacquaint ourselves with along with all the wonderful wildlife that it contains. The camera technology gives us another way to record, identify and study that wildlife and then better manage the area to increase wildlife numbers and species diversity. Using the cameras will also be another exciting skill for our beneficiaries to learn as they engage in caring for creation at Caring for Life.
Jake