Tell me your nature observations!

[lucknow]

I have seen some pretty interesting things in the last 4 years. My wife and I were on the road for that entire time except for about 3 to 4 days a month when we went home.

One sight that interested me and we saw this same thing a few times in Northern On is eagles and crows fighting over road kill. One day in the winter we came across 2 eagles feeding on a moose carcass on the shoulder of the road. Can you imagine? That could feed those birds all winter. The problem was that there were about 20 crows that wanted it also. We watched, and one eagle would feed while the other would chase crows off the moose. After a while they changed places and the other eagle fed while his mate chased. I suppose the crows would win in the end because those eagles couldn't keep that up for too long.

[greatblueheron]

Good one!!! They are so amazing....funny comparison, soon2b....

They are so industrious...well, unless you are QUEEN!

I am trying to think of the name and author of a book....the author was the foremost authority on ANTS and he had written a NOVEL about ants, with critical success! When I remember I will post it.

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

Earlier I was watching about 12 small black ants trying to move a dead bug that was about comparable to the size of a city bus. Kind of like 12 of us trying to move a city bus on our own but without the wheels moving. Kind of amazing how ants work together like that.

[greatblueheron]

Nature at work....interesting. Maybe the eagles got enough before they lost out to the crows. But wow, they were working as quite a team!

You will have to share more of your trip nature sightings! And I am curious as to what type of wildlife/birds etc might be just in North. On. as opposed to the US....??

Originally Posted by lucknow

I have seen some pretty interesting things in the last 4 years. My wife and I were on the road for that entire tome except for about 3 to 4 days a month when we went home.

One sight that interested me and we saw this same thing a few times in Northern On is eagles and crows fighting over road kill. One day in the winter we came across 2 eagles feeding on a moose carcass on the shoulder of the road. Can you imagine? That could feed those birds all winter. The problem was that there were about 20 crows that wanted it also. We watched, and one eagle would feed while the other would chase crows off the moose. After a while they changed places and the other eagle fed while his mate chased. I suppose the crows would win in the end because those eagles couldn't keep that up for too long.

[lucknow]

Originally Posted by greatblueheron

Nature at work....interesting. Maybe the eagles got enough before they lost out to the crows. But wow, they were working as quite a team!

You will have to share more of your trip nature sightings! And I am curious as to what type of wildlife/birds etc might be just in North. On. as opposed to the US....??

Well one thing we often saw in North On. that we never saw anywhere in the USA was wolves. They are just such beautiful animals. Really big and very heavily furred. It's funny though, in that they are pack animals we never saw more than one at a time, usually trotting down the shoulder of the highway or standing on a high point looking out over the road. Maybe there were others but only one shows himself?? I don't know.

WE saw quite a few bears and I know there are lots of bears in the USA but we never saw any. Tons and tons of foxes but we saw lots in the USA also. Lots and lots of moose but we also see lots of moose in the New England states, especially NH. WE were very surprised one day to see a moose in Wyoming. I didn't even know they were in that state.

Two birds we often saw that we don't see stateside are Canada Jays and ravens. Canada Jays are the boldest bird I have ever come across. I have had one take a sandwich right out of my hand while I was sitting there eating it and I wasn't offering it to him either. I had about 10 of them one day swarm my picnic table and make off with most of the food as I was trying to shoo them away. Many times early in the morning I would get out of the truck and just wave a piece of bread around. Soon a raven would see that and would start calling to all his friends. During this time he would not come close to get the bread. Once all his buddies showed up he would snatch the bread and fly up in a nearby tree and eat it. Then all the other birds would get their turn one by one they would come in to around 6 ft. of me and get theirs.

[greatblueheron]

Thanks lucknow! Sounds like you see wolves and foxes etc often.....you ARE lucky!

Canada Jay, yes never seen/heard it....sounds pretty darn spunky...our Blue Jay in the SE US is not shy either Ravens I have seen, but only rarely. They are quite handsome, I think....

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by sabbytabby

I thought the moon was extremely beautiful over the ocean the other night. I've never seen it quite so large as that night, and the golden color. I was in awe. (for a very long time)

This is it from a San Antonio viewpoint...

[nomoresnow]

Good morning, all.

Welcome, lucknow. I was born and raised on the NY/Ontario border, about an hour south of Ottawa in a little "city" called Ogdensburg, NY. I've seen bears, but a little farther south in Old Forge, NY where friends of mine would feed bears by hand. Not me, thank you very much....I watched from inside the house.

Anyway...I saw something different this morning. I walked out onto our lanai, only to find one of our local woodpeckers climbing up our screen! Not sure what he thought he'd find there, but it was neat watching him.

Animals aren't as "dumb" as some of us think they are. Loved the story of the eagles taking turns on watch. Thanks for sharing that.

[Dallas Kitty]

Originally Posted by greatblueheron

Good one!!! They are so amazing....funny comparison, soon2b....

They are so industrious...well, unless you are QUEEN!

I am trying to think of the name and author of a book....the author was the foremost authority on ANTS and he had written a NOVEL about ants, with critical success! When I remember I will post it.

Ants are aggravating but they are interesting. I had my first experience with ants coming inside here making their way to the cat’s dish before cats could finish eating. I don't free feed. So starting putting the food dish into a bigger dish with water to keep ants away. Of course a bit falls here and there from the cat’s mouth while licking or going for water. It was making me crazy because I couldn’t find where ants were coming in. You have to track them for the fix, right? I thought there must be some food/candy way back behind stove or fridge from previous condo tenants who had two small kids. But … I finally saw them coming in at the dining room window, scooting quickly down and across the baseboard, up under the bar side of the counter and around to the cat’s dish on the counter. Clever little ants!

So searched from something non-toxic, found Terro that comes in little containers with sweet liquid containing borax. You open one end and put it in a good place where kids and pets won’t reach. I set it up on the window sill where they were coming in, raised it a little so it wouldn’t spill. The pic is three days later. The interesting thing is the way the ants were staying in a row side by side while a few others rushed in and out. The thingy is supposed to last 2-3 months. In the meantime the HOA has done some spraying outside. That’s my ant story!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0803/reddkitten/Misc/ants.jpg (broken link)

[Dallas Kitty]

Originally Posted by satx56

This is it from a San Antonio viewpoint...

Beautiful!

You and bjh could have a gallery showing with your moon photos.

[LilyLady]

Originally Posted by satx56

This is it from a San Antonio viewpoint...

Those pictures are wonderful!