Faunascrolling--what's visiting where you are?
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Rabbits. Chipmunks. And squirrels. Have we ever got squirrels.
There were eight young squirrels chasing each other throughout our yard and the neighbor’s, running across the lawn and up and down trees. At one point two of them were in a maple tree 20 feet up. I heard them screaming at each other while they clung to the end of a branch and each other. They dropped to the ground with a thud and I was sure one or both would be injured but they leapt up and started the chase all over again.
I wonder if I’ll get to actually harvest anything from the veggie garden this summer or whether the squirrels and chippies will get there first.
Varmints.
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Wildly dressed people of all ages walking through the neighborhood on the way to any number of outdoor events! The wildest is this weekend - "Beyond Wonderland"
https://chicago.beyondwonderland.com/
Beyonce and Taylor Swift fans had some great outfits too! Lot of "micro-business" show up on the path to sell stuff. My favorite hawkers shout out "hydration or intoxication" from behind big coolers filled to the top.
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We went out on our deck, looked down and discovered a dead deer (doe) on the steps leading down to our yard. That wasn't on my bingo card. I'm not sure what happened, but I'm guessing she was spooked by something and. ..? We have a lot of deer, but they usually don't take the stairs that I've seen.
On a cheerier note, we've been replanting our pollinators and focusing on bespoke (lol) seed for our feeders and have been rewarded with Anna's hummingbirds, grosbeaks, warblers and others in addition to our usual house finches and towhees. -
Found a baby raccoon on the back steps last week. It’s alive but appeared to be hurt. Mama raccoon (presumably) was close by and snarled/hissed at us if we tried to open the door.
Called the city to summon animal control. Turns out that department doesn’t exist here and the only thing they could offer was to send the police around to shoot it. Disposal at that point would be up to us.
Didn't seem like a great solution so we left them alone for a few hours and they disappeared.
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Argument between a female red-bellied woodpecker and a blue jay early this morning caught on camera
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Koi fish. I guess some jerk dumped them in the park lake.
Turkeys.
House centipedes.
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Lots of birdsong today.
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Bluebirds galore. Saw a red fox standing right beside the road. We have a red tailed hawk in our woods that is getting regularly dive bombed by magpies. We hear him screaming every day. Can't wait to see what turns up on Mr. Pique's new smart bird feeder (it arrived yesterday. His birthday is the 18th!)
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We get bluebirds around here, but I've only seen one. They are so pretty.
This guy's wiry tail though
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Black-capped chickadee checking out a new flavor of suet. State bird of Massachusetts.
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Black-capped chickadee checking out a new flavor of suet. State bird of Massachusetts.
@rustyfingers Love chickadees! Up in Door County I was able to get them to perch on my hand if I held out a palm full of sunflower seeds. I was surprised they were so trusting.
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Ours are a little flighty. (See what I did there?)
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@AndyD Sweet! We have the occasional red fox and coyotes come through our neighborhood. We live less than a block away from a cemetery which we know these guys call home.
Tons of blue jays here. We used to see a lot of them but some years ago their numbers were greatly reduced when West Nile virus came into our area. Jays and their fellow crows are apparently very susceptible. They are back in force.
And the goldfinches are visiting my bird baths. Rain has been scarce here so I think we're seeing a lot more visits because of our water oasis.
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Didn't have my phone with me to snap a pic but just saw a Northern flicker having a drink. He was maybe five feet away from me. Internet photo:
/northern-flicker-5a26e69047c26600377464e0.jpg)
And a couple of hairy woodpeckers pecking their way up our maple tree. I hope that's not a bad sign for the tree...
When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier
