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A rabbit lives pretty close by. They have largely disappeared over the past year or two. I thought the fox was getting them, or a hawk.
This reminded me of a cutie who visited my yard years ago. When I first saw him he would scoot if I even took a step toward him. As time passed, he would sit and watch while I did yard work. After more time passed, he would follow me around and much on the leaves of the branches I had pruned. Made himself right at home.
Since moving to NW Arkansas a few months ago surrounded by woods I have been seeing a lot of wildlife. This includes a 4'+ snake climbing one of my trees. Each day we see deer, squirrels and a lot of birds at the bird feeders. My wife and I are hoping to see some newborn fawns being it is that time of the year. Of the five deer we see most days at least one is a buck. I had two hummingbird feeders out, but something is tearing them down at night. Something even turned over my concrete birdbath one night.
The annual murder of the baby robins has commenced. Every year the stupid robins build a nest in the pines in front of my house. Every year a broad-winged hawk comes and murders their babies amid much screaming and squawking by mom and dad. SMH. Today was the day.
Oh man....that happened to us a couple years back. I was horrified. But a robin has built her nest under the eaves in the overhang in back of our housef again this year (the same place the hawk carried off the babies) and although Hubs wanted to move it, I asked him to let it stay. It's a protected space for sure, hard to get to, but the hawk did find it that one time. Three eggs...no babies yet. I hope they make it.
Hubs saw a doe and her fawn 2 mornings ago. And we have a groundhog or woodchuck waddling around in our back field, and then I saw a smaller one so she must have a baby, too!
Sitting in front of the house now (researching something on the machine) and there is a robin coming back and forth to the bird bath, having a really good time splashing around in there.....I wonder if she is the Mama robin to the eggs out back. Birds hardly ever come to this birdbath but this has been an unusual year.
The evil chipmunk is back. Now I am beginning to think the fox has been hit by a car or something. I haven't seen it and the rabbit and chipmunk are getting bold.
This happened about 40 years ago. It was like out of a Walt Disney Sunday Evening show. (Anyone remember those?) I always thought those were staged...until this day.
I was out in the field in Eastern San Diego County, this bright morning. I'm walking on a single track trail, making all kinds of noise, not paying much attention to anything. I look ahead about 20 feet and see a California Quail adult standing in the middle of the path. (Both sides of this trail have tumble weeds that are still alive and green.)
i walk up to this quail, expecting it to flush. It stands it's ground. I'm like 5 feet from this bird, so I stop. I get quiet and still. The bird is looking around, like it's a crossing guard for school kids at a busy street corner. The bird ducks into a tumble weed for a few seconds, then re emerges. Stops in the middle of the path, (path width about 4-5 feet, give or take.) I have a full size VCR camera and I begin shooting tape. A few seconds goes by, and about 100 quail chicks come out from underneath the tumble weed in a flurry. Scampering across the path to the other side. A few stragglers are quickly herded by the adult quail. There were more than "just a few" late comers too. I couldn't believe it. I thought for sure, all those "Wonderful World of Disney" animal situations were totally set-up, in an enclosure or something. Well, darn it, they DO happen. Unfortunately, I lost the tape that had this brief encounter. It was done with a very high grade camera with high grade/studio tape, too. Lost it during my last move, back in 1998...
Deer came up to the glass door wanting a treat. Gave her carrots day before. I guess she remembered my address. When I went back later though after I wasn't busy anymore, she had left. Day before, the three little bucks just looked at the carrots, smelled them and left. She ate them all.
We had a wonderful nature surprise two nights ago. A Cecropia moth, just from the cocoon, was sitting under the grill on our deck pumping up his wings.
Several years ago we were at Lake Superior when the big moths emerged and we were lucky enough to see several of Minnesota's largest. But it has been decades since either of us had seen a Cecropia.
Old kitty came out and went on alert. Not sure whether to attack or run. Never seen anything quite like that before!
I scooped her up and kept her in the house for the evening to give our guest time to get his bearings and find his new safe spot.
I'm marveling at his markings, the colors and the perfect symmetry. Awesome little miracle.
Edited to add: I think his wingspread must have been close to seven inches.
We had a wonderful nature surprise two nights ago. A Cecropia moth, just from the cocoon, was sitting under the grill on our deck pumping up his wings.
Several years ago we were at Lake Superior when the big moths emerged and we were lucky enough to see several of Minnesota's largest. But it has been decades since either of us had seen a Cecropia.
Old kitty came out and went on alert. Not sure whether to attack or run. Never seen anything quite like that before!
I scooped her up and kept her in the house for the evening to give our guest time to get his bearings and find his new safe spot.
I'm marveling at his markings, the colors and the perfect symmetry. Awesome little miracle.
Edited to add: I think his wingspread must have been close to seven inches.
Lodestar thank you for sharing what a beautiful moth
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Birds hardly ever come to this birdbath but this has been an unusual year.
