After installing a surveillance camera, Jennifer discovered that her backyard was a daily destination for many special animals.
This was the intention of Jennifer George, who lives in a semi-rural area of San Diego County, California, USA. On a hot sunny day, she placed a bowl of water in her backyard. Since there were cameras set up in her area, Jennifer wanted to experiment and see what kind of guests might visit her home.
After setting up a surveillance camera in her backyard, the woman was surprised to find many birds visiting the water bowl to bathe. (Photo: The Dodo)
Upon reviewing the recorded footage, she noticed a lot of animals coming to drink water. Concerned that the increasingly hot weather meant a single bowl of water would not be sufficient, Jennifer replaced it with a solar-powered water fountain. To her surprise, her backyard became a stopping point for many woodland creatures. They visited Jennifer’s family day and night, making her backyard almost always bustling with activity.
The birds were the first guests to choose Jennifer’s backyard as a resting place. Through the camera, Jennifer observed a variety of birds, from tiny hummingbirds and quails to larger ones like vultures, turkeys, and hawks. These creatures even considered the fountain as their bathing spot.
A family of wolves also chose this spot for a refreshing drink. (Photo: The Dodo)
Similar to daytime, the nighttime life in the backyard was just as lively, with the camera capturing the presence of many nocturnal animals. Among them were rabbits, squirrels, mice, red pandas, and skunks.
Sometimes, Jennifer’s family even had the chance to welcome rare animals like wolves, bobcats, and opossums. It seemed that the animals recognized the special gift from the homeowners, as they visited without causing noise or damage to the property.
A bobcat visited the water bowl after a hunting trip. (Photo: The Dodo)
Rarely, Jennifer’s family witnessed intense encounters among the animals. For instance, a snake quickly slithered towards a family of quails bathing in the bowl, hoping for a meal. Or, some skunks clashed and fought over access to the water fountain.
After the videos of Jennifer’s backyard were uploaded, they immediately attracted the attention of hundreds of thousands of viewers on social media. Most expressed delight at the variety of animals visiting Jennifer’s home. One YouTube user commented that Jennifer’s backyard resembled a natural zoo.
Many reptiles like snakes and lizards also came to cool off during the summer. (Photo: The Dodo)
Many others expressed that they couldn’t stop watching these videos due to the calming feeling they provided. Some suggested that zoologists could visit Jennifer’s home to study rare animals that are at risk of extinction, such as wolves, bobcats, or red pandas.
Jennifer stated: “I’ve lived in California my whole life, and I know there are many different species here. I love seeing these animals every day through the camera. The feeling of being able to see creatures I’ve never seen before is even more exciting. I hope to discover even more rare species in the future.”
