spedigrees: Life-threatening allergic reactions of course will change the balance of what you can tolerate in your vicinity.

Aside from that special case, I think each person should draw their own line as to what is or is not appropriate in their management of their yard.

My own view is that I am a steward of the yard and that each critter or plant has a certain right to live, and that the existing ecosystem is a whole lot more efficient than what I would impose. That said, I need to strike a balance between what would happen if I don't interfere, and what I feel is best for the yard, including my own needs. That includes my practical need for access and space, and my desire for an esthetically pleasing appearance. I also get enormous pleasure out of feeding and watching birds and other critters.

I'm still struggling with deciding what should or should not remain here, and I understand that in many ways I'm taking sides not because of a great ethical vision, but just because I happen to like this better than that.

I pull out bittersweet vines because they strangle shrubs and trees I want to preserve. I pull out poison ivy because I'm allergic to it and so are most of the people who might visit. Both of these have berries that birds love. One is native and the other is not.

I kill red lily leaf beetles because I like lilies better.

I buy plants and put them in spaces where a local volunteer wanted to grow, only because I like the bought ones better. I do try to use plants that fit in with the existing plant community.

House Sparrows aren't a big problem here - the hawks seem to prefer them and other birds have plenty of space in the woods around to nest. Their population fluctuates but is never overwhelming. I see no need to interfere with their lives here.

These are not easy decisions for me to make, but not acting is not an option. We humans have enormous gifts of being able to manipulate our environment - with that comes enormous responsibility to ensure that the environment is better for our being here.

Claire

Good reasons and writing all around here, thanks. Did not know, (Sped quote) "It is easy to say that wasps' nests die when winter comes and then the danger is gone, but the reality is that during the fall months a large nest will produce hundreds of new queens who will winter over in cracks in human buildings and found new colonies in the spring... ." Ahh, boy. Hope I didn't wait too long to have the neighbor spray both white face hornet nests. I, like many other ill-informed hornet nest landlords, thought, 'It's only a couple of weeks before the frost comes and then they'll be dead anyway, so if they get sprayed now, I can do the garden over and move the old azalea tree." Now I learn I might not have acted in time. It's all a balancing act, isn't it? And, I admit, on my land, in my house, it also depends on my mood, energy level, or if I feel threatened or not as to whether some creature lives or dies at my hand, or my slipper.

You can't see the nest well, but it's that brown thing in the center of the corner fence garden. It was volley to basketball size and because I'm allergic (and chicken) the whole garden received no attention for several months. What a mess after 17" of rain and weeks of heat.

After the brave neighbor did the nightly deed, the garden was cleared, the 50 yr. old azalea was moved, and stepping stones put in so I will be able to clean more easily in the future.

Enough philosophy for now.

I hadn't been seeing woodchucks for about a month and it seemed too early for hibernation, so I was relieved yesterday morning to see a fat healthy woodchuck eating birdseed in the company of a cardinal.

And it was back this morning, this time with a blue jay giving it a disapproving look.

I think this is the same woodchuck as yesterday, but not Guthrie or Griselda, although I'm not great at individual woodchuck ID's. Maybe this one lives in the burrow by the tool shed - said burrow being one I was careful not to step into when I was painting the back of the tool shed.

Claire

Those are great shots, Claire. Gophers are cute. I saw one at the town dump (not supposed to call it that) the other day and he was absolutely robust.

Juncos are now here in multiples and have discovered the heated bird bath. The snow blower will be ready next week. sigh...

Jane

Claire - love the disappointing look of the blue jay. I was at Wellfleet Bay wildlife sanctuary early last week and saw lots and lots of white throat sparrows. I normally don't see them at home. So it was a pleasant sight.

I was at Race Point beach (I think that's where I was)in Provincetown on Friday. We saw this fox sitting on the parking lot sidewalk. As happy as I was to watch him and take photos, I was also disturbed to see him hanging out in a parking lot next to the tour busses. Clearly he is loosing habitat

Beautiful fox pictures, Pixie! It could be that he has learned that the parkinglot by the tour buses is a good scavenging ground. Foxes are opportunists. I imagine this one may dine on sandwich scraps. He looks healthy.

Beautiful fox there, pixie_lou - It looks like the fox equivalent of a seal point siamese cat! The tourist season is really winding down so the fox will have to start traditional hunting. Unless it can latch on to a post-Thanksgiving dump....

Claire

3 in a row, pixie, that's a beautiful fox. Boy, otters and now a fox - you're on a wildlife roll! He was certainly checking you out - great face shot.

Jane

End of October and the lawn dragon has taken to joyriding in my little cart.

On Halloween afternoon the dragon found a new friend.

The sun started going down but the new friend just brightened up.

Best Friends Forever? (or at least until the candy runs out)

Claire

Jane saw her first junco on October 23 and worried that it meant snow within 2 weeks.

Today I saw my first confirmed juncos of this fall season, searching for nyjer seed under the pine needles:

I say "first confirmed" because I thought I saw a junco about a week ago but it was only a fleeting glimpse before I could grab the binoculars or the camera.

I was just checking my photo record and I discovered that on 2011 and 2012 the first junco was seen on October 28 of each of those years. If my fleeting glimpse last week was correct, that would have been around October 28, 2013. It's a great relief to know that my juncos seem to migrate based on the calendar and not on the weather forecast.

I'm counting on no snow for a while yet - got some work to do in the yard that requires workable soil.

Claire (ever optimistic)

Provincetown apparently has more problems than foxes at parking lots. I saw this article today about Lured coyotes becoming a problem at Seashore beach on capecodonline.com.

Claire
..............................................................................................

"By Mary Ann Bragg
mbragg@capecodonline.com
November 05, 2013

PROVINCETOWN - " After nine coyotes were spotted begging at cars one night last month, Cape Cod National Seashore officials are threatening to close the northern parking lot at Herring Cove Beach for two weeks to stop people from illegally feeding them.

Rangers have found bags of dog food along Province Lands Road and piles of fish guts and fish heads in the parking lot, all of which indicates deliberate attempts to feed coyotes, according to Seashore chief ranger Leslie Reynolds.

"One coyote is too many to have running through the parking lot, never mind nine," Reynolds said Monday.

No humans or pets have been injured since the nine were seen at sunset on Oct. 24, but the Seashore has posted signs and doubled the number of rangers monitoring the parking lot and beach.

"If we don't see a marked improvement, and we already have, the superintendent is intending to close Herring Cove north for two weeks," Reynolds said. "We would only do that if the feeding continues."

The long, narrow parking lot, with 208 spaces, is popular for residents and visitors throughout the year because of its drive-up views of the ocean and the sunset. The beach itself is popular for evening bonfires.

The coyotes have been coming over the dunes and lingering on the tarmac next to cars, on the beach and in the nighttime shadows around the beach fires.

The eastern coyote is well-established in most of Massachusetts except Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, according to state wildlife records. Resembling a medium-size dog in body shape and size, a male typically weighs from 34 to 47 pounds, and a female from 33 to 40 pounds.

Coyotes will eat whatever is readily available, and predictable sources of human-provided food can cause a coyote to act tame and could lead to unpredictable and bold behavior.

They naturally eat rodents, rabbits, deer, birds, insects, reptiles, fruits and berries, but also scavenge road kill, garbage, pet food and even cats and small dogs, according to the state.

In the past two weeks, Reynolds has doubled the number of rangers monitoring the beach from two to four. They tell people not to feed coyotes, or to fling bits of food from car windows to get a photograph. The rangers also are trying different hazing techniques to drive away coyotes, such as air horns.

Rangers have so far issued one citation for feeding wildlife in a national park, Reynolds said. Under federal law, the infraction carries a maximum penalty of $5,000 and up to six months in jail.

Three new signs have been posted at the Herring Cove northern parking lot, warning against feeding coyotes.

"It just needs to stop," Rey­nolds said.

"The loss of fear is one of the worst things that can happen to a wild animal," Roberto Aguilar, medical director of Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable, said Monday.

Feeding a coyote could eventually lead to that animal having to be killed, Aguilar said."

Sounds like a good place to put up a webcam to catch pictures of people. We now have black bears in town and if one found its way to my bird feeders, PFW would be gone for me. I've seen coyote and red fox in my yard at 2pm. Much of the wildness in their spirit is already diminished just from living in built-up country/rural suburbia.

Jane

It's been a busy bird morning. A female Bluebird took a spirited bath

A young Cooper's (I think) Hawk took a stroll after chasing everybody away

Even though my first PFW count doesn't begin until next Monday, this morning there were 11 different bird species within an hour. Last night on the PBS program, Nature, it was 'Love in the Animal Kingdom' (link below, if interested) and in my house, Ivy was smitten. And yes, I saved the life of a 40" Sony after it was attacked by an overly interested Siamese.

Jane

Here is a link that might be useful: Nature, PBS, online viewing

That's a lovely Nature show, Jane, did Ivy think she's a hyena? The weedy seadragons are marvelous creatures, as are all of the creatures there.

Your hawk looks like it's on stilts - the legs seem to belong to a hawk twice the size.

Claire

Last August, in the 2013 #7 thread, I posted pictures of an interaction between turkeys and woodchucks where a couple of turkeys seemed to be fascinated by the appearance and disappearance of a woodchuck.

This morning I noticed a woodchuck feeding on the ground and I went to take a photo just to document that it wasn't hibernating yet. I saw a turkey feeding nearby and watched to see what would happen.

The woodchuck fed in one position under a hanging feeder.

The woodchuck then moved away while a turkey intently watched it.

The woodchuck moved toward the turkey which quickly moved aside out of the way.

As the woodchuck fed, the turkey circled around.

The woodchuck is still there (out of sight), but the turkey is about to leave.

The woodchuck now has the field all to itself.

It looks like turkeys are afraid of woodchucks. I've never seen an aggressive woodchuck but maybe they're fierce when cornered, and turkeys do sometimes chase smaller critters. Not always a good idea.

Claire

Well, he's here. White-throated Sparrow, first one I've seen this year.
As usual with little brown birds, I can't really tell if it's a M or F, 1st. yr. breeding or an old pro, but it's happy bouncing around my little boxwood garden. Nothing quite like lots of bird photo ops to make me wash windows.
Jane

I was posting at the same time, Claire. Neat shots of the interaction. Has the whole woodchuck family stayed, or have the kids moved on?

Jane: White-throats are very personable little birds and I always love seeing them. Bird photo ops not only make me wash windows but they hasten the process of removing screens (I always keep a few windows screen-free for the photos, but the view is better when they're all off).

I'm not seeing many woodchucks now so I don't know which are still here, but the various burrows haven't filled in or gotten covered with leaves so they're probably still in use. One under the roses, one under the porch and one next to the toolshed. I haven't gone over to see if the one on the border of the neighbor's yard is still there. I've been told there's one under the other neighbor's deck and then there are the woodchucks living on the coastal bank..... I'm beginning to feel surrounded.

Claire

Jane: Another woodchuck this morning and I think this is one of this year's babies, grown up a bit. It certainly looks different from the woodchuck a few days ago. This woodchuck was browsing with a chipmunk.

Maybe it's this baby, photo taken August 18, 2013 with a chipmunk companion.

And on the bird front, the nyjer feeders are filling up again with birds - today goldfinches and house sparrows feeding together. The goldfinches are all wearing their drab winter coats.

Claire

I think you'd have to be a first name basis with these guys to know who is who. I don't see any telltale ID marks that could indicate Hoover from Herbert; great case for DNA. As long as you don't fall into the proverbial 'woodchuck' hole and break an ankle, I'm glad they are there for your entertainment. We've learned more because they live at your house. And, drank more cider, lol.

Today's woodchuck seems to have a much lighter coat and a distinct reddish-brown cap.

It also has a light marking on its nose:

Of course I could be imagining the differences but it amuses me to try to distinguish them.

One thing I'm sure of is the Fox Sparrow I've been seeing today and yesterday! Particularly satisfying because these are my first two Project FeederWatch days. I don't really know if there's one or two (or ten) but it lurks in the brush and does the terrier scratching routine in the leaves. The rain streaks on the windows finally dried so I could get a reasonably clear picture.

Claire

This morning a female cardinal lurked on the big old winterberry - maybe checking out the ripeness of the berries. Her bill complements the red of the berries.

They don't seem to be ripe yet, at least the robins and waxwings haven't appeared en masse. The robins do send scouts periodically to check the fruit.

Claire

Have you seen a small pair of glasses lying about? Maybe woodchuck is a reader. Do you know if the winterberry fruit has to freeze twice as I have read about aronia (chokeberry)? The only time I captured Cedar Waxwings on the aronia, after the Robin scouts signaled, was the end of February a few years ago.

Lovely Cardinal shot. I've planted more chokeberry bushes just for the berries and their autumn leaves which I like - very colorful.

I completely forgot PFW last week, thanks for mentioning - sticky note just went on my screen.

Jane

This morning I found a Carolina Wren using a branch as a napkin and I thought how useful it all can be.

I had just clicked off this page when right outside my window was a Northern Mockingbird proving that the chokeberries are not ready. Watch the berry in his beak that ends up being spat against the branch next to his head. Berry isn't on the branch in first picture. Last picture is just because he's beautiful. Must be a bird nerd to get this excited about a berry in a beak.

Jane

Jane: I don't know how many times the winterberries have to freeze before they're tasty, but it's usually by the end of December. We have late fall weather so the leaves are just now beginning to drop after a couple of light frosts and the berries aren't ripe yet.

I just glanced out the window and saw a juvenile Cooper's Hawk land on the birdbath. It always amazes me that they can turn their head 180 degrees to look behind them (maybe at me watching).

The hawk only stayed less than a minute (the camera was at my side). I noticed a turkey stroll by the birdbath right after the hawk left so the turkey wasn't concerned. Much different from earlier today when I saw a fox in the yard, and eight turkeys immediately headed up to the trees. Eight turkeys in flight is always impressive.

Cute picture of the wren cleaning its bill.

The mockingbird looks a bit disgusted (and it thinks it's all your fault that the fruit isn't ripe yet). Great pics of spitting out the unripe berries.

Claire

Well, 'cept for the critters, I think everybody bailed on us in here, Claire. oh, well.

A young Cooper's has a flight through here often and the troops clear out for an hour or so, then things return to normal. The hawks as birdbath visitors is getting to be normal also. But this morning, this little gal got to sing all by herself in the sun, till the wind ruffled her too much. female Blue bird.

Saw a video this morning of a lady in Staten Island, NY who has 26 turkeys visiting her very suburban neighborhood yard every day. The TV guy asked her how she dealt with it, and she said, "I tell 'em I've got their cousin in the oven."

Jane

This post was edited by corunum on Sun, Nov 24, 13 at 16:57

Sweet little bluebird there, Jane (beigebird?)

I don't usually see the hawks here, but the crows make a big ruckus and mob them so I can tell there's a hawk around by the drama and noise (as well as the sudden absence of little birds).

Cold and windy last night and today, temperatures in the twenties and forecast lower tonight, and I've been busy breaking ice on the birdbaths and refilling them. I do have one heated birdbath but a lot of birds have their favorites and those quickly freeze up. I may end up (as I did last year) moving the heated birdbath closer to the others to avert panic.

I looked out to the backyard and saw a lump of fur in an oak overlooking the bay. The lump was a squirrel hunkering under its tail for protection and looking toward the deck. I've pretty much stopped feeding the squirrels and birds on the deck, mostly because it's getting too cold to eat out there and I don't want to be opening those doors in mid-winter. I relented this morning and this squirrel may have been hoping for another round of peanuts.

I went for a long shot and discovered the squirrel had turned around, back to the wind.

It must have given up and gone back to its nest because the tree was empty soon after.

I felt a little guilty but there's plenty of food on the other side of the house and they can walk around.

Claire

Cold this morning and a male Northern Flicker came to the suet feeder. You can really see how he uses his tail to prop himself up while he's feeding.

Claire

Busy day today - it's the first of my two Project Feeder Watch days this week so I've been looking outside more carefully than usual.

I was washing dishes (the sink is right under my kitchen window) and glancing out to see what was going on. Somehow washing dishes doesn't keep me totally engrossed so I was pleased to see a fox suddenly appear under the feeders and give me an excuse to grab the camera. It took a few seconds to dry my hands so I missed some time.

The fox was investigating a birdseed block I put out, maybe smelling squirrel scent,

and then checked a pile of granola I'd thrown out.

It seemed to think about the granola (I think it took a bite),

and then went back for more.

Unfortunately it must have seen or sensed me watching so it came to attention,

and then moved on.

No squirrels in sight for a while.

Claire

Wow! What a good day in the garden! Great shots and it's nice to know that he'll be regular thanks to your granola. Foxes really are good-looking and that one looks to be fully adult and healthy. Very nice.

A short while ago I spotted a dove gray back on an accipter body just outside my window in a birch tree and after consulting the Crossley Raptor guide, I now know that I've seldom seen a true adult Cooper's Hawk. Usually I see the juvi. mottled brown cape and breast, but this was so unremarkably solid dove gray that it was very remarkable. Quite striking, really, with heavy bright white under the tail. Of course, he was quick when the camera lens cover swung down and I missed the shot. But he'll be back.

Have you noticed a decline in the number of squirrels this year? Perhaps it was Pixie who commented previously. I have. One Eye, Big Tail, and John the Bully are all missing after having been here for several years.
Jane

Jane: Most of the Cooper's Hawks I see are juvenile, not adult - probably because the successful adults are very very efficient and don't hang around long if they miss a strike. I've also read that the survival rate of hawks is low - it's not easy catching little birds.

I just checked my photos and I only have a few of adults.

Jan.18, 2011

Feb. 15, 2010

The gray back, striped breast, and red eyes are distinctive.

I'm not sure about the number of squirrels - it really fluctuates with the time of year, maybe due to new broods arriving but not surviving the predators. There also seem to be squirrel territorial wars so they come to the yard at different times.

Claire

And today's granola-eating canid is a coyote! It looks like it might be a youngster and it was very, very nervous. After I took about 50 pictures it occurred to me to make a video too. Once I re-learn how to upload a video to YouTube I'll post that too.

Here are a couple of images. The coyote was definitely eating the leftover granola (the video shows that better).

The coyote looked like it was going to spend all afternoon scraping up the last pieces of granola, but I had to go somewhere so I reluctantly went outside and scared it off.

Claire

OK, here's the video on YouTube of Coyote eating granola. After looking at the video again, I think the coyote may have been afraid of the very noisy, very active dog next door. It kept looking in the direction of the house next door - the dog wasn't outside but the coyote may know of its presence. Which means that the coyote has probably been here before.

Claire

Is this a new trend in my yard? or have I just not noticed it before?

This morning the fox (or a fox) was back but not eating granola. The granola was probably finished by the coyote but the fox was eating peanuts which I put out for the jays and squirrels and whatever (not realizing that 'whatever' could include foxes). It's still raining and windows are wet so the pictures are a little blurry.

The fox kept looking around but ate a lot of peanuts before it left. There usually aren't that many bare peanuts out but my bag of peanuts-in-the-shell broke and there was a pile to occupy the jays and squirrels.

Claire

Holy Cow! I just saw your pictures - and the video - wow. Do you have mixed feelings about coyotes dining there? Not that one can really chase them off permanently and it is a good thing you don't have a cat, but after coming face to face with one outside my garage, not only did my respect level rise, so did my blood pressure.
Do you think the sweet smell of the granola brought him in closer?

Last night I heard noises from the deck area and this morning I found the chairs askew in an odd - not wind blown- kind of way. Made me look up outdoor night wildlife cameras. Have you considered one of these bird cam type gizmos or do you have one already? I'm thinking about it. Surveillance, yes, but as an animal lover it might provide some interesting shots. Although, not much can beat swashbuckling turkeys.
Great shots, Claire.
Jane

We were posting at the same time, but I think you really put a big X on your door. Peanuts and granola are too good to resist. Maybe Bud Light in a bird bath would be nice.

Jane: I'm a little concerned about the coyote but they've been around for a while. I think my yard is a wildlife corridor between the hunting grounds in the woods across the street and the hunting grounds on the coastal bank behind the house. The bluestone path I carefully installed for me is also a convenient pathway for the critters (and turkeys) - and that happens to be where I've placed the birdbaths (water source) and birdfeeding areas. The coyotes and foxes may have traditionally used a path through the brush between the neighbor's and my yards, but the bluestone is easier.

I won't put out anything to attract them specifically but I will continue to feed the usual (smaller) characters.

A bird/wildlife cam is tempting.

Claire

Claire - loving the groundhog turkey pictures from a few weeks ago. And all your wildlife in amazing. I'm actually a bit more impressed with all the birds you've captured as opposed to the mammals.

The chickadees don't normally go to the thistle feeder. Or maybe I've never noticed before? I do need binoculars to see the thistle feeder from the house.

As for wild mammals - I had a "wild" neighborhood dog in the yard. Does that count?

Earlier this week I *thought* there was a new bird in the yard. I was looking through binoculars, and grabbed the big camera with the long lens to get some photos to help in identifying. I was a bit embarassed to find out my "new" bird was just a Starling in his winter coat. I think what threw me off the most - there were just 2 of them in the yard. I'm so used to seeing them by the hundreds. Oh well. It was still a new experience!

Otto and Frolic spent the day in the pond on Wednesday. I was doing my Thanksgiving baking, and could watch them from my kitchen window. When the morning started, the pond was 3/4 covered in ice. But they were having fun breaking the ice up. By mid afternoon, there was no more ice left, but they still hung around, even spent some time nuzzling on the gate.

The photos are kind of crappy since they were taken through windows, and it was pouring rain most of the day.

pixie_lou: Your otters are delightful! I can just imagine them splashing around breaking the ice up.

I miss the two 'wild' neighborhood dogs that used to come by every day and patrol the yard (and collect a fee/treat). I didn't have woodchucks in those protected days, although the dogs did almost kill a holly by using it to mark their territory. The ringleader, Roscoe, passed on and Rusty now stays close to home. So I have woodchucks and foxes and coyotes (probably always had them but they moved quicker then).

I'll get a few starlings all winter but the big flocks rarely stop here.

Claire

I put handlebar tape on my new pitchfork to make it easier to use without rotating. It never occurred to me that it would also be easier for a hawk to grasp. I think this is a juvenile Cooper's Hawk - when it spread its wings it looked pretty big and the crows were watching intently but didn't attack.

That's my compost spreading paraphernalia - I need to do another section today.

Claire

Pixie: Pure and simple, I want your pond. The otter names are perfect. But, I really want your pond. Keep snapping their picture, please. Just great!

Claire: Can one conservationist be MORE thoughtful? Bicycle handlebar tape for the ease of hawk talon gripping? Man. You get the girlscout Hawk Merit Badge. And they are good pictures, too.

Jane

I saw a Hermit Thrush today! This is the second time in the last few weeks - usually I only see them in mid-winter at the heated birdbath, and then only once a year or two. Maybe it was checking out the berries (still not ripe). The first one I saw came out of a rose patch which has hips.

Claire

A leucistic Dark-eyed Junco has been hanging around the yard for about a week now but it seems to choose dank, gloomy, times to feed when I can't get a good photo. I had one good photo op on a nice sunny day but just as I got the camera focused a squirrel came barreling through and scared the juncos away.

This is the best I've been able to get so far.

It seems healthy and normal other than the white feathers on the head.

Claire

Good catch inasmuch as they are quite rare. Leucism, so I've read, doesn't affect anything systemic, just the coloring, so he's healthy. The female cardinal I caught in photos last year did not return this year. It probably was the HOSP environment, not her condition.

Jane

I love the photos of the foxes and the coyote.

The photos of the otters are positively magical, Pixie! What a wildlife treasure to have in your back yard!

The hermit thrush is our state bird, but I don't believe I've ever actually seen one. That's a great picture, Claire.

As to wildlife around my house, all I've seen lately are the neighbors' two yellow cats that patrol my brushy areas in search of rodents collecting food stores for winter. One cat has a tail and the other doesn't, and they belong to two different families. My old cat seldom ventures out in this weather, and then only for a few minutes, and she never leaves the porch. These two relative newcomers have inherited her hunting grounds.

spedigrees: Your two neighbor cats may belong to different families but they look like they're hunting together, cornering the rodents there in the brush. I'm imagining a whole line of yellow cats working together and beating through the brush flushing out mice. Small lions?

Claire

They do look like they are in league together, now that you mention it!

The 2013 #9 thread is getting long (and I just happen to have some new turkey photos) so I"m starting a new thread (2013 #10). You're welcome to continue the discussion here if you like or move to the new one.

Claire