First returns from my new nature cam are in! Here is the culprit who has been besmirching the birdbath

Cooper's hawk this morning.

I have moved the camera to another location. I'm trying out its capabilities and learning the best ways to place it. The new location will pick up fewer birds, but possibly more mammals.

And I have learned that the raven owns the back birdbath.

I told you there would be mammals!

Oh my! Lots of activity in the yard last night - cat, coyotes, skunk, and a rodent that I think is bigger than a mouse.

Pictures to come.

I moved the camera again last night. I am using trees and other fixed features in the yard to see how they work. I will have to use a tripod eventually, but this gives me an idea of what the camera can see from where.

This is the area the camera is now aimed at.

The camera converts to black and white and an infrared flash after dark.

10:09: Cat. I have never seen this cat before.

12:01 am: Probably a pack rat (wood rat). I measured the rock, and the animal is about 10 cm long.

2:11:30: Coyote!

2:11:44: Another coyote!

The second coyote is slenderer, perhaps a younger one.

2:41: Skunk with upraised tail, facing away from camera, same place as coyotes.

3:06: eyes

I have several pictures of those eyes moving around that area, but none show anything about the animal.

Nothing exciting last night! The eyes were back, but nothing else. I've moved the camera to perhaps see that area better.

I'm not a fan of squirrels (they are the primary repository of plague here and destroy plants), but this is cute.

No good nighttime pictures since last Sunday. Friday night there was one that could have been a bear's shoulder or a cougar butt, just a curved object.

Raccoon and skunk last night. I suspect the raccoon is the owner of the mysterious eyes I saw earlier.

I've moved the camera to a slightly different spot.

Not much action for a while. When I did my walkaround this morning, the post for the backyard birdfeeder was knocked over.

This is not entirely bad. It was leaning, and I wanted to reposition it. Now the work of taking it out has been done for me.

And the feeder wasn't damaged.

I moved the camera to the front yard, so I thought I missed the photo. But here you are!

I'm a little surprised the bear was here around ten last night, and I totally missed it.

ping @TheRedElm