Garden wildlife

[afishamongmany]

So folks, as well as expanding our global botanical knowledge let's do the same for zoological.
Beasts, birds, creepy crawlies, if it moves take a picture, describe it, is it a garden goodie or a paradise pest?

Yesterday I got some great video of a red squirrel which came right up to our kitchen door and our bird table. It just loves the sunflower seeds that drop to the ground. We have often had them going along the bottom of the garden, leaping from trunk to trunk of the boundary trees but this one looks like it may become a kitchen door regular.
Just one misgiving though. Squirrels are bird nest robbers. I've seen this one jumping up on to our column junipers and peer inside, looking for lunch.
Here are some stills from the video -

Neehr! Wot's up Doc?

All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Wow, look at the ear tufts on that little guy. cool.

I used to have one... great pet. Brought it up with a young cat, they were a sight together. I have plenty around my house, and I keep telling myself to train them to come close and feed, especially since I keep the cats indoors now.

Squirrels, Raccoons, they all fascinate me.

 

[tadoflamb]

I have a bird garden which attracts a lot of wildlife. Aside from the 116 species of birds I've identified from my modestly sized urban yard I've also seen a number of other animals including lizards, snakes, squirrels, bobcats, coyote and javelina.

Here's a picture of a Lesser Goldfinch in my bird bath.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I do love squirrels. But ... they repeatedly dig up planted pots, are gnawing the bark from my (valuable) palm trees, have completely killed two Rose of Sharon trees (the most beautiful flowers in my yard!), and have killed quite a few coddled garden vegetables by biting through the stem when they are planted out. They also plant thousands of acorns producing small oak weeds which I have trouble pulling from my beds.

At our old house, they chewed through the fascia board and made nests in the attic, chewing wires and destroying the house in various ways.

They will also crawl up under car hoods and chew car wiring.

I'm sure they are capable of all kinds of other mischief.

My grandparents had a huge cage enclosing a tree where they raised some discovered fallen from their nest, and I have a friend who does rescues of wild squirrels and flying squirrels and releases them. I do enjoy watching them, but they really cause a great deal of destruction. I wouldn't mind so much if I were just sharing a harvest with them, but they seem to kill many plants out of curiosity or a taste for their essential bits.

My neighbor feeds them peanuts and we have a heavily treed neighborhood, so they are going to be there. I almost wish I could get a little Jack Russell or something just to keep them away, but I don't think that's a good idea.

 

[tadoflamb]

Here's a bobcat kitten. There was a litter of three of them when we got back from summer vacation one year. I can't blame mom, she found a nice, cool shady spot with a nice water feature and a convenient food supply in the many Antelope Ground Squirrels around my home.

 

[Kenny'sID]

I do love squirrels. But ... they repeatedly dig up planted pots, are gnawing the bark from my (valuable) palm trees, have completely killed two Rose of Sharon trees (the most beautiful flowers in my yard!), and have killed quite a few coddled garden vegetables by biting through the stem when they are planted out. They also plant thousands of acorns producing small oak weeds which I have trouble pulling from my beds.

At our old house, they chewed through the fascia board and made nests in the attic, chewing wires and destroying the house in various ways.

They will also crawl up under car hoods and chew car wiring.

I'm sure they are capable of all kinds of other mischief.

My grandparents had a huge cage enclosing a tree where they raised some discovered fallen from their nest, and I have a friend who does rescues of wild squirrels and flying squirrels and releases them. I do enjoy watching them, but they really cause a great deal of destruction. I wouldn't mind so much if I were just sharing a harvest with them, but they seem to kill many plants out of curiosity or a taste for their essential bits.

My neighbor feeds them peanuts and we have a heavily treed neighborhood, so they are going to be there. I almost wish I could get a little Jack Russell or something just to keep them away, but I don't think that's a good idea.

The one I let run loose in the house did much less damage than I thought he would, at least he never chewed anything of value. Could ber because I had few things OF value. lol

 

[Kenny'sID]

Here's a bobcat kitten. There was a litter of three of them when we got back from summer vacation one year. I can't blame mom, she found a nice, cool shady spot with a nice water feature and a convenient food supply in the many Antelope Ground Squirrels around my home.

Wow!

I know many would not approve but I'd a taken all three into my home if I possibly could have. Always wanted one for a pet, but never accept for maybe once so late I couldn't see for sure, have I seen one in the wild.

 

[~Anastasia~]

The one I let run loose in the house did much less damage than I thought he would, at least he never chewed anything of value. Could ber because I had few things OF value. lol

I've had them be fine before too, and I'm glad you're not experiencing problems from them.

But they are certainly capable of damage. I wish ours were not such a problem!

 

[Humble me Lord]

This was taken about 30 miles from my house as the crow flies. They have a feeding program for wild black bears. The log was on my property and was huge. A bear rolled it over and tore into it to get some tasty grubs. Have also found bear scat on my land.

 

[~Anastasia~]

View attachment 195498 View attachment 195499
This was taken about 30 miles from my house as the crow flies. They have a feeding program for wild black bears. The log was on my property and was huge. A bear rolled it over and tore into it to get some tasty grubs. Have also found bear scat on my land.

Now THAT's garden wildlife!

We used to have bears, coyotes, raccoons, etc. come into the yard and up to the door when we lived in the mountains in Cali, in a national forest. At least the mountain lions kept their distance.

One thing I didn't bother having there was chickens. I don't think I can afford to build a bear-proof coop.

 

[Humble me Lord]

We have only lost one chicken, and that was before I had their fence completely finished. I think that was a fox or the bobcat that was in our trash dumpster.
But it could also have been a wolf. These prints were right in front of our mailbox. Huge !!!

 

[Humble me Lord]

The birds here are very friendly.

This is Larry, the nuthatch

 

[Humble me Lord]

Many Black tapped Chickadee's will eat right out of your hand

 

[Humble me Lord]

The only squirrels we have up here are Pine Squirrels. They are only half the size of the typical red squirrel. They nest in hollowed out trees (usually popple), The only trouble I have out of them is they get into the goat chow after the sunflower seeds.

 

[~Anastasia~]

The birds here are very friendly.
View attachment 195570
This is Larry, the nuthatch

Oh, I'm kind of jealous of that! Love the chickadees too.

 

[afishamongmany]

I have a bird garden which attracts a lot of wildlife. Aside from the 116 species of birds I've identified from my modestly sized urban yard I've also seen a number of other animals including lizards, snakes, squirrels, bobcats, coyote and javelina.

Here's a picture of a Lesser Goldfinch in my bird bath.

Hello Tadoflamb,
Good picture. I'm getting educated. We have goldfinch here but a different bird, also never heard of 'javelina' though I knew that 'peccary' was your equivalent of our wild boar.
116 species of birds is impressive. Are you on a migration route? Even counting the very occasional visitors we probably couldn't get above 50. Will try to get photos of our most common bird table dinners over the next few days.
Go well
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[Humble me Lord]

I have a bird garden which attracts a lot of wildlife

I don't know the names of a lot either. We have a bigger finch here, the male is a brilliant purple, almost scarlet. I guess we better get busy taking bird pictures, would love help in identifying them.

 

[Humble me Lord]

I have to have an electric fence to keep these guys out of my garden.

 

[tadoflamb]

Here's a White-winged Dove. They come up from Mexico to breed. Their song sounds like this: "I've lost control! I've lost control! I can hear them right now.

 

[afishamongmany]

Many Black tapped Chickadee's will eat right out of your hand
View attachment 195571

HmL, How long did it take to get the birds to feed out of your hand? Did you just stand with our hand out and look friendly? I know when there is hard weather most creatures will 'tame' but otherwise one usually has to have a lot of time and patience.
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