Author Topic: Backyard critters  (Read 103790 times)

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

  • Posts: 17645
  • babble on
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #50: September 18, 2008, 11:48:55 AM »
Those guys are hell on rats...Adams Morgan could use a few more owls.  I've seen them flying to or from Rock Creek park, sometimes with a tailed sandwich in hand.
The coolest thing I ever saw was when I was living in DC and walking along Independence Ave. toward the Cap. South Metro.  There is an old stone church that's near 2nd and Independence, SE and we were walking along the block when a gigantic bird flew directly over our heads (within seemingly inches) and roosted in a small tree about 1/2 block ahead.  I remember saying something lie, "holy crap!  What the hell was that?!?!"  My buddy said, "probably just a crow or something...."  I responded, "that wuold be the biggest crow in the history of the world - that was no crow."

As we approached, I couldn't see the bird.  All of a sudden he/she turned his/her head and all we saw was:

(Image removed from quote.)

It then flew up into the belfrey of the church.

Offline Minty Fresh

  • Posts: 20386
  • BOOM!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #51: September 18, 2008, 12:22:31 PM »
My wife asked why an owl would want to live in a downtown city area.  Rats, of course!  And the rats in DC are legendarily large.  You'd be largest owl in the species living in DC.

Offline blue911

  • Posts: 18471
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #52: September 18, 2008, 12:31:07 PM »
The coolest thing I ever saw was when I was living in DC and walking along Independence Ave. toward the Cap. South Metro.  There is an old stone church that's near 2nd and Independence, SE and we were walking along the block when a gigantic bird flew directly over our heads (within seemingly inches) and roosted in a small tree about 1/2 block ahead.  I remember saying something lie, "holy crap!  What the hell was that?!?!"  My buddy said, "probably just a crow or something...."  I responded, "that wuold be the biggest crow in the history of the world - that was no crow."

As we approached, I couldn't see the bird.  All of a sudden he/she turned his/her head and all we saw was:

It then flew up into the belfrey of the church.

Sounds like St. Peter's Church, there must be 20 restaurants within two blocks.


Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #53: September 18, 2008, 12:52:34 PM »
We've had one of these dudes in our (wooded) back yard. *Everything* freezes when it alights - even our backup, auxiliary cat. That (stupid) cat's not afraid of anything except this big-@ss owl.

The coolest thing I ever saw was when I was living in DC and walking along Independence Ave. toward the Cap. South Metro.  There is an old stone church that's near 2nd and Independence, SE and we were walking along the block when a gigantic bird flew directly over our heads (within seemingly inches) and roosted in a small tree about 1/2 block ahead.  I remember saying something lie, "holy crap!  What the hell was that?!?!"  My buddy said, "probably just a crow or something...."  I responded, "that wuold be the biggest crow in the history of the world - that was no crow."

As we approached, I couldn't see the bird.  All of a sudden he/she turned his/her head and all we saw was:

(Image removed from quote.)

It then flew up into the belfrey of the church.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #54: September 18, 2008, 01:56:15 PM »
We've got an owl that's been waking me up the last two nights.  They come and go, but we have a permanent population of hawks - cats beware.

Offline Frau Mau

  • Posts: 1121
  • Good boy!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #55: September 18, 2008, 02:13:41 PM »
We've had one of these dudes in our (wooded) back yard. *Everything* freezes when it alights - even our backup, auxiliary cat. That (stupid) cat's not afraid of anything except this big-@ss owl.


You're cat isn't stupid, he/she's actually very smart. That owl could take her out. Woodsy doesn't play.

We were hanging out on the roof of our old apartment watching the sunset a few years ago, and we saw a hawk drop with such velocity and stun a pigeon that it made this loud 'boom'. He landed talons first, but he could have easily taken a small mammal like a cat. I heard about a hawk (I think this was out in MD) dropping on a woman's little dog, can't remember if it was a yorkie or something else, and she fended the hawk off eventually, but the tug of war and intial slam from the hawk tore the dog up pretty badly. He needed medical attention, but he survived. Probably didn't want to go outside anymore, though...

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #56: September 18, 2008, 02:21:23 PM »
This cat is stupid. We've had him tested. Seriously.

What I really meant was this cat will stand its ground to racoons, dogs, groundhogs, foxes, cayotes, whatever, but the owl stopped him. Really, those other predators were far more dangerous. This is him demonstrating his lack of cognitive depth.

As big as the barred owl that visits us is, he's not going after a 10 pound cat (and if he does, unfortunately, I think he loses more than the cat does).

The hawks, might take him, but not that owl. It's an ugly thought any way you look at it, though.

You're cat isn't stupid, he/she's actually very smart. That owl could take her out. Woodsy doesn't play.

We were hanging out on the roof of our old apartment watching the sunset a few years ago, and we saw a hawk drop with such velocity and stun a pigeon that it made this loud 'boom'. He landed talons first, but he could have easily taken a small mammal like a cat. I heard about a hawk (I think this was out in MD) dropping on a woman's little dog, can't remember if it was a yorkie or something else, and she fended the hawk off eventually, but the tug of war and intial slam from the hawk tore the dog up pretty badly. He needed medical attention, but he survived. Probably didn't want to go outside anymore, though...

Offline Frau Mau

  • Posts: 1121
  • Good boy!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #57: September 18, 2008, 02:32:15 PM »
This cat is stupid. We've had him tested. Seriously.

What I really meant was this cat will stand its ground to racoons, dogs, groundhogs, foxes, cayotes, whatever, but the owl stopped him. Really, those other predators were far more dangerous. This is him demonstrating his lack of cognitive depth.

As big as the barred owl that visits us is, he's not going after a 10 pound cat (and if he does, unfortunately, I think he loses more than the cat does).

The hawks, might take him, but not that owl. It's an ugly thought any way you look at it, though.


Okay, maybe he's not the sharpest tool in the shed if he does that. I don't think most of the hawks are large enough around here to worry him, but I'm no expert. Wonder if he is not scared of the other animals why he is of the owl? Very curious...

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #58: September 18, 2008, 03:26:05 PM »
First time my wife visited our local animal hospital (for our cat, of course) there was another cat there all torn up by a hawk.  Point taken.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #59: September 18, 2008, 05:06:31 PM »
No. We had him tested - seriously. The vet dropped cotton balls, tried to get him to follow her eyes, made sounds, they have a standard battery of tests. He flunked. Wierdest thing.

Okay, maybe he's not the sharpest tool in the shed if he does that. I don't think most of the hawks are large enough around here to worry him, but I'm no expert. Wonder if he is not scared of the other animals why he is of the owl? Very curious...

Offline blue911

  • Posts: 18471
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #60: September 18, 2008, 05:24:07 PM »
No. We had him tested - seriously. The vet dropped cotton balls, tried to get him to follow her eyes, made sounds, they have a standard battery of tests. He flunked. Wierdest thing.


I think I have a cat that can out dumb yours. But I don't want make it a competition, suffice to say she never learned how to eat canned food. And no it isn't that she doesn't like the flavor,she'd just too stupid to figure out she can bite it. But she's awful sweet.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #61: September 18, 2008, 05:48:35 PM »
Okay, that's dumb. But your cat has a redeeming feature - she's sweet. This one just sprays in the house for no reason at all. He's awful. No one likes him. No one.

I think I have a cat that can out dumb yours. But I don't want make it a competition, suffice to say she never learned how to eat canned food. And no it isn't that she doesn't like the flavor,she'd just too stupid to figure out she can bite it. But she's awful sweet.

Offline Frau Mau

  • Posts: 1121
  • Good boy!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #62: September 18, 2008, 06:22:50 PM »
Okay, that's dumb. But your cat has a redeeming feature - she's sweet. This one just sprays in the house for no reason at all. He's awful. No one likes him. No one.


That's kind of sad....poor guy.

Offline The Chief

  • Posts: 31799
    • http://www.wnff.net
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #63: September 18, 2008, 07:21:47 PM »
That's kind of sad....poor guy.

He's got a home, that's more than can be said for a lot of "unlikeable" domesticated animals.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #64: September 19, 2008, 08:08:39 AM »
Don't get me wrong: we take care of him, we insist that the kids pay attention to him, and we do, too. We feed him, pet him, talk to him, care for him, and make sure he's warm and dry when he wants to be.

And what do we get in return?

Urine on our walls.

We're big on pets - we've got four. This one just the luck of the draw, but a good lesson for the kids. Gotta take care of what your responsible for, even if it's unpleasant.

And we do love him in our own way. He's just not at all likeable.

He's got a home, that's more than can be said for a lot of "unlikeable" domesticated animals.

Offline The Chief

  • Posts: 31799
    • http://www.wnff.net
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #65: September 19, 2008, 09:08:22 AM »
Yeah I wasn't implying otherwise, just a comment in passing.

Offline ronnynat

  • Posts: 23269
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #66: September 19, 2008, 09:32:44 AM »
I pulled a 4-foot hairy tail (seriously, 4 feet) out of the ground in my backyard last week. It had to have been in there for a while b/c the end that was in the ground had no signs of being attached to anything before. It weirded me out.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #67: September 19, 2008, 09:34:38 AM »
Like a dog tail? Maybe a fox tail? They aren't 4 feet long, though. That's bizarre.

I pulled a 4-foot hairy tail (seriously, 4 feet) out of the ground in my backyard last week. It had to have been in there for a while b/c the end that was in the ground had no signs of being attached to anything before. It weirded me out.

Offline ronnynat

  • Posts: 23269
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #68: September 19, 2008, 09:40:23 AM »
Like a dog tail? Maybe a fox tail? They aren't 4 feet long, though. That's bizarre.

When I pulled it out, it was about 6 inches into the ground, so I'm guessing that whatever it was, it either didn't make it to where it was trying to go or it had a detachable tail. The rest of the tail was flat across the ground, so it was probably there for a while. I just never noticed it.


Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #69: September 19, 2008, 10:08:34 AM »
What creature living in this area has a four foot hairy tail and burrows?

"Detachable" in terms of tails is sort of a misnomer. There aren't many animals - particularly hairy ones, that would gladly give up their tails.


That's spooky.
When I pulled it out, it was about 6 inches into the ground, so I'm guessing that whatever it was, it either didn't make it to where it was trying to go or it had a detachable tail. The rest of the tail was flat across the ground, so it was probably there for a while. I just never noticed it.



Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #70: September 19, 2008, 10:11:07 AM »
I pulled a 4-foot hairy tail (seriously, 4 feet) out of the ground in my backyard last week. It had to have been in there for a while b/c the end that was in the ground had no signs of being attached to anything before. It weirded me out.

Cow?

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

  • Posts: 17645
  • babble on
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #71: September 19, 2008, 10:40:52 AM »
Sounds like there's a monkey serial killer on the loose...

I pulled a 4-foot hairy tail (seriously, 4 feet) out of the ground in my backyard last week. It had to have been in there for a while b/c the end that was in the ground had no signs of being attached to anything before. It weirded me out.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

  • Posts: 17645
  • babble on
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #72: September 19, 2008, 10:43:27 AM »
Did anyone else see a rasta-looking guy walking around the stadium during last night's game carrying a large live owl on a piece of wood?  Or did someone slip LSD in my Urquell?

Offline blue911

  • Posts: 18471
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #73: September 19, 2008, 10:51:47 AM »
Did anyone else see a rasta-looking guy walking around the stadium during last night's game carrying a large live owl on a piece of wood?  Or did someone slip LSD in my Urquell?

I've seen him before near the Diamond Club.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #74: September 19, 2008, 11:05:08 AM »
Did anyone else see a rasta-looking guy walking around the stadium during last night's game carrying a large live owl on a piece of wood?  Or did someone slip LSD in my Urquell?

I've seen those guys (there are several) 3 or 4 times this season.  Maybe a raptor rescue program or something like that.