Texas Couple's Wildlife Cameras Are The Perfect Pandemic Binge Watch

If you're looking for a break from the pandemic, the news, or just people in general, a Central Texas couple's backyard nature cameras are the perfect escape.

"Texas Backyard Wildlife" is equal parts adorable and fascinating, and shares the everyday moments of the raccoons, deer, foxes, owls, and other critters that make their way through Dan Ballard and Jane Hunter's property in southwest Austin.

Their Youtube channel and website started three years ago when the couple put up a single trail camera behind their home.

"We were seeing a lot of stuff that we had no idea was here. One camera led to an addiction," Ballard told KXAN.

Now, the duo has nearly 50 cameras set up on their property that capture everything from a newborn fawn with its mother, an armadillo burrowing, to inter-species encounters that Ballard narrates.

Their goal is to show these everyday animal experiences without any human interference.

“We just always felt that wildlife is threatened everywhere in the world, humans encroach on the critters’ territory everywhere in the world, and we wanted to put down a marker, make a record of all the local animals that are living with us because we just think it’s important,” Hunter said.

They hit upon a perfect formula too. Ballard narrates the videos, while Hunter responds the the comments, which are overwhelmingly positive for YouTube.

“People are so positive and appreciative,” she said. “It feels very important to respond to them.”

Ballard and Hunter can include the BBC among their fans. The British TV company that's internationally known for its nature shows is heading to the Austin backyard later this year to film.

Photo: Getty Images