At the edge of a suburban backyard lies an old woodpile, left there by previous homeowners years passed. This woodpile may appear unremarkable to some, but to the local wildlife it is a cozy home, meeting ground, snack bar, and even a newsstand!

Nearby to this log is a wildlife camera, a device used by hobbyists and researchers alike. This camera has a sensor that is triggered to take videos when it detects movement or a change in temperature, perfect for recording footage when animal passes by. In this case, the camera was placed here in an effort to explore what sorts of critters might be inhabiting the yard. Its placement in this particular location turned out to be quite revealing!

While the initial camera angle wasn’t solely focused on the inconspicuous log, it inadvertently revealed some larger visitors – two coyotes stopped to rest under the log occasionally over the course of a week, as seen below. Sometimes they spent the entire night snuggled together beneath the worn wooden debris. Watch as they emerge from the log in the early morning, stretching and yawning their warm breath into the cold winter air.

Once it was discovered that this spot provided such exciting insight into wildlife activity, the camera was then moved to have a direct view into the teeming world underneath the log. This new angle revealed a whole new perspective on this wild community! Among the species detected were opossum, gray squirrel, red squirrel, chipmunk, mouse, shrew, tufted titmouse, song sparrow, and dark-eyed junco.

How fascinating to think that one small feature in a backyard landscape can be such a hub of activity for such a variety of species! What might you find in your backyard?