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The grandkids and I were taking the dog for a walk when we spotted a cat on the edge of our yard near the stand of trees. We hadn't this one before. A house on a nearby road feeds a feral colony, so we are used to seeing cats about and recognize many of them. The kids wanted a closer look and I stayed on the road with the dog so he wouldn't scare it away.
They got closer, but the cat turned and ran away. The kids caming running back to tell me it was large, almost the size of our dog, had a stubby tail and tufts of hair along its face and ear and didn't run like a cat. It was a bobcat!
I've seen pictures posted of them on the neighborhood NextDoor app, but this was the first time I've seen one. I won't be taking it for granted that cats are just cats around here. I hope I get to see it again. I read they like to hang out in trees and are out in the day. Now I know what to look for and will think twice about letting the grandkids get a closer look at an animal.
Actually I think vultures get a secret kick out of freaking us out.
Indeed. Haha. They are very common around here. I remember growing up we would be out working on the ranch and it was common to see three or four circling us overhead. My Dad would always point to them and say "best get to movin' a little faster boy."
There is a big tree I know of here where dozens of them roost up. I go there and gather the big, tough feathers they drop. They make GREAT arrow fletchings for the shafts I make for my traditional longbow.. There's just something about a quiver full of arrows done up old school. With real feathers and hand forged tips.
Big wind here today. One of the several squirrel nests that are high high up in the trees was apparently damaged. Mama squirrel went up and down dozens of times with mouthfuls of brown oak leaves for patching purposes, while the three little ones sometimes sat on a nearby limb to watch and sometimes followed her up and down. Then, she peeled long strips of bark off nearby thin tulip tree branches, maybe to tie it all together, maybe for some additional insulation.
Then a bit of a break for some acorns. Then we think the little ones actually nursed a bit. Then into the nice cozy nest.
I went out to give the squirrels peanuts. I sat down on a patio chair. I got up from the patio chair and realized I sat in a pile of bird poop. Of course, I had to swipe my hand over it, asking myself, "What in the world is THAT?" It was bird poop. 100% positive about that.
My driveway is a 1/2 mile down to the road
I see white tail deer, rabbit, turkey, squirrel, and birds
daily. The last few days we have noticed Bear scat
In the driveway.
Possums as a general rule really gross me out. But a little brown possum has been joining the barn cats for dinner lately, and it is kind of cute. I know that possums are carriers of all kinds of icky stuff, so I don't really want it to be there, even though all the cats but one have their shots. I do involuntarily shriek when I suddenly see it's creepy ratty tail, and then it runs away. The cats just completely accept it, though.
Lately, a really large red tail hawk comes into the yard about sunset to hunt doves. Large flock of doves feed on the ground, under the feeders. The hawk will swoop in, very low to the ground and very very fast. Occasionally we hear a popping sound (not to be too graphic, but we think the sound is the dove's lungs taking the hit) and see a burst of feathers. The hawk is so fast she can hardly be seen. Then she flies into the woods. Sometimes she will land on the ground where we can see her, and she eats the whole bloody mess to her hearts content.
More often than this, she swoops down, the doves scatter and the hawk comes back up empty handed. (empty clawed)
Sorry if folks reading feel badly for the doves. I feel badly for them also of course. But it is a quick death and hawks have to eat also. We've counted 40 doves, but only one or two hawks, so the balance seems ok. Plus it is a phenomenal skill on the part of the hawk. Additionally, we actually do try to feed the birds in a location that is specifically under trees, making it even harder for the hawks.
The wing span on this hawk is at least four feet. Big and beautiful. She likely is a female, they are bigger than the males.
Yesterday I saw a yellow shafted Northern flicker in our back yard. While my bird book says these are still fairly common from Alaska to Nicaragua, it's been a long time since I have seen one of these birds.
This bird did quite a bit of hovering around the suet feeder trying to intimidate a smaller downy woodpecker into rushing his meal but the little bird held his ground until he was done eating.
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