Events recorded at Wadi Jazira 16-17 October 2003

Events recorded at Wadi Jazira 16-17 October 2003

On Thursday afternoon (October 16), the two motion-activated cameras were set up in narrow gullies just beyond the abandoned buildings at Wadi Jazira.

Canned tuna fish and rolled oats were used as the bait. The cameras and motion sensors were activated at about 6 pm on Wednesday.

In conjunction with a field trip the following morning, the cameras were collected. A total of 60 events had been recorded on camera one, 49 events on camera two. A summary of the events appears below.

An "event" is recorded by the receiver unit when something breaks the infrared beam between the transmitter and the receiver. Each time the beam is broken, the camera is activated. One camera had exhausted the roll of film; the second camera had recorded more than 30 exposures.

Both cameras had a sensitivity setting of 3. One camera had a delay of half a minute, the other a delay of six seconds. A quick study of the data suggests a longer interval would be more appropriate. On one camera, for example, there were 15 events recorded in less than three minutes. On the other camera, there were nine exposures in a span of less than two minutes and, later, 19 exposures in less than two minutes. Obviously the fox was no longer frightened by the camera and the equipment kept measuring events. While the settings used might produce more photographs, the settings may mean that other animals visiting the area later are not photographed since the film supply is exhausted.

One of the cameras was moved after a few frames. Fortunately, this was the camera that was set up incorrectly; a small rock ridge in front of the camera was reflecting flash back onto the aperture causing the camera to under-exposure the subject. Whether the camera itself was bumped by the fox or the fox became entangled in the cord was not evident.

Camera One

Notes: the clock on the receiver was set incorrectly; "7:22" is actually "19:22". The change from the 16th of October to the 17th is noted (after event 51).

Sensitivity set at 3; interval set at 0.1 minutes.

Camera Two

Notes: the clock on the receiver was set incorrectly; "8:30" is actually "16:30". The change from the 16th of October to the 17th is noted (after event 38).

Sensitivity set at 3; interval set at 0.5 minutes.