Urban Wildlife

Sounds like it. The geese here ignored me after they figured out I was no threat to them or their little ones.

Saw two Canadian Geese at White Rock yesterday, along with some mallards.

There's another couple with no babies that came into the pasture. There was much honking and flapping. One of the males knocked over the (turned off) electric tape fence with all his flapping. It finally quieted down late in the afternoon. I saw one couple in the front pasture and the other in the back.

The Chuck-Will's-widows are back. I heard them tonight when I was turning out the horses. I've never seen one, but I hear them a lot.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Chuck-wills-widow/sounds

Sounds like something from Jurassic Park

I like the sounds. People say they're creepy, but they aren't to me. They go right along with the peeper frogs.

The eagles were soaring over our pastures again. I see two flying together a lot now. I guess the boy has finally found a girl. I haven't seen babies, but I probably wouldn't. They don't nest close enough for me to observe. They just like soaring around our property.

That has to be so neat. Lucky you

Saw a baby black snake when Lu and I were coming back from a nice ride down the gravel road. It was sunning next to the ditch where the heron hangs out. It better watch out. Herons like snakes.

Black snakes help keep the vermain population in check.

That they do! I like having them around, and we have some good sized ones in the barn. This one had better move along to safer sleeping spots though. That heron is always in the ditch looking for snacks.

My cousin and his wife have a koi pond with a waterfall, the herons and other wildlife eat them out of house and home.

People around here put chicken wire over their koi ponds for just that reason.

I tell them that.

Was over at White Rock Lake earlier and saw a wood duck family. I knew they were over there but this is the first time I've seen one.

They are cool, aren't they? I see them occasionally in the early spring. I think they must be migrating though. Or else they hide for the rest of the year.

Today's sighting was unfortunate. GK caught a skink lizard and brought him in the house. He was missing his tail, which is no big deal since he can grow a new one. But, I don't know if he'll make it. Looked like he'd been "played with." I released him back into the tall, wet grass and am hoping he will recover.

They are. Eventually the photos will hit FB. I'm sorry to say that they background sucks. People are such jerks.

I hope he does to.

Saw my first goldfinch this weekend. And the first blue jay I've seen in years. One squirrel visiting my neighbors squirrel feeder has a blond tail....so distinctive compared to the others. Hence the nickname Blondie.

Wow! Take a picture of that if you can. The most unique squirrels I've ever seen were the black ones in Arlington, VA. I haven't seen them anywhere else.

Interesting article about them: WAPO Black Squirrels

We have flocks of jays along with mockingbirds.

I have a resident half grown rabbit named BunBun in my yard, I feed him so he knows I'm no threat. I also watched two chipmunks running around wrestling and playing my backyard yesterday. Looked like they were having fun....I think they're littermates they were so small. I have a chipmunk burrow in my flowerbed just under my bedroom window and I've seen the adult more than a few times near there nibbling on green stuff.

Cool!

I have a mouse (or mice) in the house. I've tried all the nice ways to ask them to leave. I've gone to bait stations because they won't move out. I hate doing it, but sometimes the wildlife should just mind its own business and live in its own house!

I gather Mouski, is not being a mighty hunter.