Speaking of wild animals in the backyard.....
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years ago
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mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoRelated Discussions
Water for the Wild Animals
Comments (21)We have the creek, but when we are in drought, portions of it go dry, so I have two birdbaths, a small fountain out of galvanized tin, and bowls of water for cats, strays and mine. Has anyone else noticed that mosquitoes don't seem to lay eggs in galvanized tin? There are never any larvae in the fountain or in a small galvanized tub which is painted red. At first, I thought it might be the red color they didn't like, but then noticed there were never any in the fountain either. I also feed a stray tomcat that is deaf and blind. He sees light and dark but that's it. I also have a possum and raccoons that steal cat food whenever they can. I didn't know it, but the possum was living under a huge piece of cardboard that I keep to block weed killer when I'm spraying. When I discovered him, I chased him out of the garage with a broom. He got about five feet out in the driveway and seemed to realize, wait a minute, I live here! Then he turned around and came running and hissing at me. Let's just say I'm glad there were no witnesses to my retreat. It involved screaming and running. DH finally chased him out. I would adore some hedgehogs. They are one of the cutest things I've ever seen....See MoreClose encounters of the wild kind
Comments (18)Maureen, I am glad you and the furbabies are safe after your encounter with the bobcat. I did get a chance to watch one for about 20 minutes this fall in the forest until he winded me and then slowly slunk away. I was struck by his grace and wild beauty. My next encounter of the wild kind was about a month ago, also in the forest, with a mother bear and two cubs. The wind was in our faces so the mother bear didn't smell or notice us until she was about 50 yards away. When she did finally recognize us she hurried away with her cubs following. My latest encounter was three nights ago in the early evening when Dave and I were sitting on our couch watching TV. We heard a loud crash outside the window behind the couch. I stepped out on the back screened porch and flipped the lights on. About 5 feet away from the porch was a bear with my bottle of fish emulsion in his mouth. It was hard to say who was more surprized, me or the bear! About this time Rosie, the wonder dog, decided to join me on the porch. She spotted the bear and let out her best hound dog bark and the bear took off! Unfortunately he didn't see the fence and hit it going full stride! The bear bounced back into the yard and rolled before gaining his feet and going over the fence this time! I now have a 4 foot fence that is only 2 feet tall and am short one bottle of fish emulsion! The reason I tell you these stories is because I wanted to show that most wild animals, given the chance, will flee before fighting. They know we humans are bad news and would just as soon avoid us if they can. I agree with Felix, some day your encounter with the bobcat will be a fond memory. Most people who live in Florida have never seen a bobcat and probably never will. That makes your encounter special, tho no less frightening! nova...See MoreWild Kingdom - aka our backyard
Comments (10)The neighbor saw the bear in her garbage at 11am one Wed, shouted to DH as he was walking up to wait for DD's bus. Hasn't bothered our garbage except at night. 6-yo DD is never outside alone (except when she went out at dusk looking for me one time when DH and I were in the attic putting the window I had just poly'd back in, and then I yelled at her to get back in the house, when we came down I told her I wasn't mad, but explained my concerns, esp. that time of night). 11 yo DS is large enough that a bobcat would not mess with him, we have explained to both of them about staying together (with a grownup if possible), making a lot of noise while they're out, so that a bear would know they're there, and to back away slowly while talking, not run, if they see a bear. I don't think it's likely they'll see a bear walking up the driveway to the bus so I let them go by themselves this AM, they have to stay together and the neighbor's house is very close to the end of our driveway if there is trouble. Thank goodness the black bears here are not as aggressive as grizzlies up north. But it worries me that it has gotten used to getting into the garbage in the neighborhood. We've been spraying ours with ammonia (the soaked Pullups didn't discourage it LOL), we don't put meat scraps or bones out until the night before pickup (early AM or else we'd just put it out that day), I keep them in ziploc bags in fridge or freezer til that night. We're going to be putting up a motion sensor floodlight on that side of the garage too. But it goes out on Wed nights/Thurs early AM and pulls garbage cans down the street (most of our neighbors have Thurs pickup, we have Friday) and then (before or after) comes to our house to see what we've got out (may have some kitchen or bathroom trash out from midweek, but as I said no food scraps - we compost everything but meat, about all it can get from our garbage is used Kleenex, Pullups, maybe a ziploc bag that might smell like deli meat). We don't let DS out to play in the woods by himself either. My brother and I used to all the time, my parents never seemed that concerned (though my dad had a run in with a "mountain lion" on this property when he was a boy, and DB found a bobcat in the play house when we lived down the road when he was a kid). I think I'd be more afraid of a gator than a black bear or a bobcat. You can't scare a gator off, can you?...See MoreSpeaking of Birds
Comments (4)We have some very large ringed neck doves here in Ga. Your dove doesn't have a ring. Here is a website All about birds. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ringed_Turtle-Dove.html...See MoreTulsaRose
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