Urban Wildlife

There was a black snake in the barn while I was filling water buckets. The horses are coming in for the afternoons because the bugs get bad, and it's getting hot. The snake followed me from stall to stall and seemed upset that I was interrupting a good hunt. It was completely nonaggressive, so I just asked it to please leave. It slithered off to the trees last I saw it.

Get a snap next time.

I think I had a sad experience today. Bingo and I found a baby bird on the road while we were walking. Bingo did not do anything to him, but when I looked closely, I could see he was still alive. He was a swallow baby, and they often fall out of nests when they're fledging. He wasn't quite ready to take to the sky. I called my vet to see if there are wildlife rehabbers in the area, but there are not for birds. So, I put him in the woods and hoped that his parents would find him before snakes would. I do not know if he made it. I have a sad feeling. He was good and strong, but I don't think he could have gotten away from a predator.

I'm so sorry Becky.

The bald eagle is swooping around the pasture again, and we have 5 turkeys (and their kids) in the back too. The turkeys are so fun to watch. They wobble around like they can't move, and then "SWOOP" they go straight up to the trees. The kids are trying to get it. So far, they are still just silly. Awfully cute.

Turkeys are fast and they are smart too.

I think they hang out here because no one hunts in our yard. I know the deer do that during hunting season.

I agree. I know someone with acreage near Hillsboro that is overrun with game during hunting season.

I think the birds have a conspiracy going. They have been flying RIGHT in front of my car. I don't want to hit them, but they are making it hard. So far, no fatalities. Keep your fingers crossed!

There's a couple of jays and mockingbirds that haress the Rodent Patrol.

I bet that's a sight to see..........has any of the kitties caught one yet?

Not yet.

Jays are hard to catch. None of my barn cats have ever caught one. They're rare around us for some reason though.

Maybe kitties down the road are thinning them out before they can get to your yard?

I don't think so. I don't see them anywhere out here - not even in the park. I guess they just like other areas better.

Today, I heard our resident eagle. I kept trying to see where it was, but no luck.

I rode my bike around the county (well about 10 miles of it) before the heat set in. On my way home, I saw a huge bald eagle sitting in a tree right by the road. I tried to take a picture, but by the time I got my phone out, he noticed me and flew away. He was awesome.

I know....how close were you to that eagle? I've been about 40 yards from one.

I was probably about 20 feet away. I stopped and saw him from behind. He flew off as I tried to sneak close to one side. I've never been that close to an eagle. They are so BIG when you get close.

Today's wildlife encounter was toads. We have lots of them around the yard. There is a huge one that is hanging out in the hay stall. I like that he's there because he eats mosquitoes and yucky barn bugs. But, he scared the poo out of me when he hopped out from under the hay pallets.

There was a squirrel eating my next door neighbor's shovel! You must be really hungry if you have to eat wood!

I gave it a piece of white bread. That must taste a lot better than wood!

Hmm... Maybe he was sharpening his teeth?

That is possible...but he made a hole in the shovel's handle!

Oh my!

We have kittens living in the complexs' utility shed......saw 2 really cute silver tabbies sitting alongside the building, about 7-8 weeks old at most. Tried to catch them but they ducked into a hole under the shed side to get inside and the door was padlocked. Saw Mom later on and she's really skinny and very wary of people. Don't know if she's a dumpee or feral.

Either way is there a TNR group in the area.