Urban Wildlife

I discovered the rodent's new flower pot. I have a couple down in the yard that don't have anything in them yet. There's a hole in the dirt of one of them. I guess the little guy found a new home. I doubt I'll get anything into those pots, so he's probably safe. I should relocate the pot farther from the house though. I don't want him moving in when it starts to get cold.

I saw that lil hummer again as I was watering my flowers. I put up a tiny stick to the window feeder, now to see if that lil hummer finds it. I can watch that feeder from right inside from my couch!

A smallish squirrel was coming slowly down the sidewalk towards us as I was about to water the veggie plots. She waddled so either was pregnant or heavy with milk for babies, heading straight for the birdfeeder area at moms. She'd watched me refill it (and spill some seed on the ground unhooking the feeder). I moved slow so I wouldn't scare her and proceeded to water the pots outside mom's window about 10 feet from the feeders (she stopped eating and watched me, then went back to eating), then I walked to the garden plots to water those. Put the hose away and she was still cleaning up the ground under the feeder. Poor lil thing was starving but we're not allowed to feed them. Think I'll purposely be a bit clumsy refilling the feeder from now on...

We're thinking of buying chicken corn and putting up a cheap feeder for the squirrels. Maybe they'd leave the other feeders alone that way. They don't like the hot sauce coated stuff, but they get into the feeders anyway.

Try safflower seed, they won't eat that and if you're using suet cakes buy the ones with hot peppers in it. They won't touch that with a barge pole.

We use safflower in one of the feeders. The woodpeckers like the fruit and nut seed, which I think is a squirrel favorite. We've been mixing in pepper flakes and hot sauce, and they haven't been on the feeders as much. No suet in the summer. It melts and gets nasty.

I found brand from WildBirds Unlimited. It survives even Texas heat.

Hmm... I need to make a trip there soon for the woodpecker food. Maybe I'll look for it.

We've noticed there are NO chipmunks around this year. Not a single one. Where did they go? This is not normal.

Oh no! Didn't you say you have hawks? Maybe they moved to safer grounds. I hope it's nothing more serious than that.

I was walking Bingo yesterday and looking at the day lilies near my front pasture fence. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I almost stepped on a 4 foot black snake. I only noticed because he slithered away and made a hissing sound. I feel bad. I like black snakes. I'd hate to squash one. Bingo was laughing at me because I yelped in surprise.

I've been thinking between the hawks and foxes the population is at an all time low here. I've seen gophers but no cute little chipmunks.

They'll make a comeback. We went for years with no squirrels because GK was patrolling the yard. The hawks and foxes here haven't kept them from coming back in force.

Last night, there was a small (2 feet) black snake curled up on the hay I was going to put into one of the nets. I brought the pitchfork into the hay stall, and just shooed him away. he was less than happy, but I didn't want to tie him up in a net. He needs to be eating mice.

They are handy to have around. I finally put the suet in the feeder, need to clean the feeder for the seed.

We have two little squirrels who clean up the ground of spilled seed. Most of the feeders have baffles on the poles but not all of them. Since they can't climb on the ones with the baffles they don't even try to climb the ones without. Silly squirrels.

I haven't seen ours in the feeders recently. I think we got the hot sauce amount right now. They have started running along the tops of the pasture fences. That's pretty cute. It's a squirrel highway.

Some not-so-urban wildlife: mom and I helped rescue a dog from the middle of the 4 lane road coming back from Walmart last Saturday morning during somewhat heavy traffic. He was obviously very confused and lost from the way he just meandered a bit in circles in the middle of the intersection looking at every car that went by. Older golden retriever, with white muzzle and around the eyes,came right to me but wouldn't go to the two guys who stopped to help. Very strong for it's age, pulled mom right off her feet. Her hand and hip are a bit messed up yet from that. Nearly pulled me off my feet twice! Definitely afraid of the cops' uniform when he stopped to see what was going on. Tried the AVID chip number on his collar but it was never registered. Also had an electric fence collar on. I had to load the dog in the squad car for transport. It was hot already and the squad car had AC so much better for that dog. WCAS has the dog now....which is where he came from in the first place. I hope they find his family and he wasn't dumped.

He never would've survived on that road in that heat. I'm glad I got him off that road despite our injuries. I have a bruise on my hand where he twisted the collar trying to get away (I would NOT let go).

Poor thing. He probably got out of a new home and didn't know how to get back. A lot of the shelter dogs that come back to our shelter are just escapees. Their people come for them pretty fast. The poor pooches get confused in their new houses, and go walkabout. The people often aren't as ready as they think they are.

It's been turtle weekend. Yesterday, I had to stop the car with the flashers on to chase a snapping turtle across the street. Today, there were two box turtles in different places along the road. Both were little. I moved them across to the other side. I hate to see smashed turtles.

I hear you. I hate to see smashed anything.

Me too. Fortunately, most turtles are easy to see and get out of the way. The snapper was a bit large and pointy to pick up, so I just walked behind him and made sure he didn't stop in the road. Once he was on the shoulder, I figured he could sun or proceed to the water. He cooperated very well, but he did give me an annoyed look.

I hate to see anything schmushed in the road too. Bet that turtle was enjoying a very leisurely walk across the road when you came along to speed him up. Probably didn't realize you saved him from getting run over.....

He certainly didn't seem to enjoy the experience. But, at least I didn't pick him up to move him like I do to box turtles.

Yeah, at least he knew exactly where he was and where he went. The box turtles going 'flying' with you have no idea where you set them down.

I was doing yard work yesterday, and saw the TINIEST praying mantis. We have Virginia creeper that likes to crawl up the side of the house. I try to pull it off just to keep things from looking too crazy. As I was going around the front of the house, I saw a tiny "stick" on the siding. It was a brand new mantis. I hope she finds lots of bugs to eat and gets good and big.

I finally saw a chipmunk this morning. Not in my yard but at my friend Renee's....cute lil critter! Maybe ours died of old age and somebody else hasn't moved in to the now vacant burrow?