Author Topic: Backyard critters  (Read 103728 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1775: May 04, 2020, 01:55:50 PM »
Cataracts and distance. Both like to sit out in the Blackwater River so it’s hard to get a good look. But I’m a champ at telling muskrats from nutria.

Are there still nutria around?  I thought they had made a big and successful push to eradicate them some years ago.

I saw a couple of otters on the Pocomoke 6 weeks ago while fishing.  Muskrat abound.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1776: May 04, 2020, 01:58:08 PM »
Try shopgoodwill.com. It’s Goodwill’s online auction site. People (or their estates) donate some really nice stuff to Goodwill.  There’s some bargains to be had on all kinds of things, but as with any auction site have a general idea of prices so you don’t overbid. I just checked and there are several name-brand binoculars currently up for bid.

I had no idea there was such a place, thanks wj!

Offline blue911

  • Posts: 18471
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1777: May 04, 2020, 03:27:06 PM »
Are there still nutria around?  I thought they had made a big and successful push to eradicate them some years ago.

I saw a couple of otters on the Pocomoke 6 weeks ago while fishing.  Muskrat abound.

Almost all are gone. It’s an ongoing effort with all of the marsh over here.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1778: May 04, 2020, 03:34:35 PM »
I have some colleagues in Ireland who, as a general rule, tend to freak out about snakes.  At the same time, out of my being outdoors around the 'hood more than normal, I'm finding an abundance - at least 1 per week for the last 4 weeks.  Weeks 1-3 I found 4 Dekalb brown snakes, very common in my yard.  Yesterday I damn near stepped on a Northern watersnake, which has a plump body like a copperhead and can have similar markings, but in my case it had no markings of note, just plain brown. 

But I've been regaling the colleagues with my snakey adventures - so regular now I'm calling my videos or pictures "SOTW" - Snake of the week.   
:hysterical:


Online imref

  • Posts: 42404
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1779: May 04, 2020, 03:35:42 PM »
I have some colleagues in Ireland who, as a general rule, tend to freak out about snakes.  At the same time, out of my being outdoors around the 'hood more than normal, I'm finding an abundance - at least 1 per week for the last 4 weeks.  Weeks 1-3 I found 4 Dekalb brown snakes, very common in my yard.  Yesterday I damn near stepped on a Northern watersnake, which has a plump body like a copperhead and can have similar markings, but in my case it had no markings of note, just plain brown. 

But I've been regaling the colleagues with my snakey adventures - so regular now I'm calling my videos or pictures "SOTW" - Snake of the week.   
:hysterical:



we have a lot of black snakes in our area.  Every so often one will find its way into a home in the neighborhood.

We've got a fox now living somewhere close, probably under a neighbors deck since we don't have much in the way of woods.  He turned up on the Ring Doorbell camera a few times last week in the middle of the night digging around our front porch, I assume either for the skinks that live under our stoop, or the rabbits in the area.


Offline wj73

  • Posts: 783
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1781: May 04, 2020, 04:28:53 PM »
I had no idea there was such a place, thanks wj!

Careful - that site can be addictive! :D But there are some really nice bargains to be had. I’ve picked up some quality jewelry at a fraction of retail. It’s also a good go-to for vintage stuff. When I was cleaning out my parents’ stuff, I found a several reels of home movies but no way to watch them. I picked up a vintage projector for something like $15 and was able to view all the movies to decide which ones to keep and which to toss.

One hint - be sure to check shipping prices and factor that into your bidding strategy. For some reason sometimes the local Goodwill auctioning the item will charge a lot for shipping.

Offline ajcartwright

  • Posts: 2362
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1782: May 05, 2020, 08:50:47 AM »


One hint - be sure to check shipping prices and factor that into your bidding strategy. For some reason sometimes the local Goodwill auctioning the item will charge a lot for shipping.
also factor in the handling charge per item, varies with each local but can be as high as $4.00 per item on some

Offline skippy1999

  • Posts: 19400
  • Believe!!!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1783: May 14, 2020, 10:44:04 PM »
Thanks to wj and her bird app I was able to identify a silly bird that crossed in front of me on a walking path chirping at me like a little sailor bird, but then she looked like she had a broken wing :( I was sooooo worried and looking up the number to the wildlife sanctuary when I saw her fly a bit and I thought what a big faker! And kept walking, but on my return she did the exact same thing, marched in front of me “chirp chirp chirp chirp” then “oh no my wing is hurt! look at me walking away from the path with my wing all messed up, whatever will I do...” until I was past and then her wing went back to normal and she took up guard on the path again. Turns out the little drama queen is a killdeer trying to draw me away from wherever her nest was, Omgosh the cutest little feisty bird ever!! Love love love her, so cool I was able to figure it out just by answering a few questions :)

Offline wj73

  • Posts: 783
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1784: May 15, 2020, 08:19:44 AM »
LOL, Skippy. I had a bird do that fake broken wing thing to me when I was a kid. I still remember how totally astonished I was when it suddenly “healed” and took off. It’s an effective little act, isn’t it?  :mg:  Glad the app helped!

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1785: May 15, 2020, 09:56:01 PM »
Big sighting of the week - a fat groundhog waddled into our back yard and began to munch.  18 years here and this is the first sighting of one.  We have a fox living very nearby, I would think a fox would take out a groundhog but what do I know? 

A bear was video'd in Reston a couple of days ago.

Saw a couple of not-common birds this week - a scarlet tanager and a northern flicker. 

Offline wj73

  • Posts: 783
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1786: May 16, 2020, 02:25:53 PM »
I love those scarlet tanagers, especially in the full sun.


We have a male cardinal who has declared war on our car. First, he was attacking his reflection in the side mirrors, so we folded the mirrors in. Then he apparently caught his reflection in the side windows and attacked them most of the day yesterday till we finally draped a couple of sheets over the windows. All was well till this morning - he found his reflection in the back window, so we had to throw another sheet over that. So now every time we want to go anywhere we have to clear the sheets off, then put them back on when we get home.


He hasn’t hurt the car, but I looked on line and found that they can actually hurt or even kill themselves by doing this. I guess his lady cardinal is impressed as she sits in a nearby tree and watches him.


Birdbrains.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1787: May 16, 2020, 10:20:27 PM »
The pair of nuthatches are pissing me off.  They'll land on the feeder, and toss aside dozens of the small seeds in rapid flings until they can get to a sunflower seed, then carry that lone seed off for consumption elsewhere.  Back a minute later, repeat.  I bet we're losing more than half the seed to the squirrels and chipmunks with that sort of callous waste.  Might be time to get out the Crosman 760.

Online imref

  • Posts: 42404
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1788: May 16, 2020, 10:42:48 PM »

Offline Mathguy

  • Posts: 9162
  • Floyd - Truely Man's best Friend
    • Outer Banks Beach House

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1790: May 16, 2020, 10:47:47 PM »
The pair of nuthatches are pissing me off.  They'll land on the feeder, and toss aside dozens of the small seeds in rapid flings until they can get to a sunflower seed, then carry that lone seed off for consumption elsewhere.  Back a minute later, repeat.  I bet we're losing more than half the seed to the squirrels and chipmunks with that sort of callous waste.  Might be time to get out the Crosman 760.

Give them the sunflower feeder they want. Nut hatches are a goddamned American treasures. AMERICAN TREASURES!!!

All that bullcrap millet and other crap in the big bag mixes just attracts invasive, non-native grackles and house sparrows anyway.

#MERCUH. #ThreeJamesonsIn

Offline varoadking

  • Posts: 29460
  • King of Goodness
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1791: May 16, 2020, 10:59:04 PM »
The pair of nuthatches are pissing me off.  They'll land on the feeder, and toss aside dozens of the small seeds in rapid flings until they can get to a sunflower seed, then carry that lone seed off for consumption elsewhere.  Back a minute later, repeat.  I bet we're losing more than half the seed to the squirrels and chipmunks with that sort of callous waste.  Might be time to get out the Crosman 760.

Squirrels and chipmunks gotta eat...


Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25619
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1793: May 28, 2020, 05:35:39 PM »



Online imref

  • Posts: 42404
  • Re-contending in 202...5?
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1794: May 28, 2020, 10:05:33 PM »

Offline varoadking

  • Posts: 29460
  • King of Goodness
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1795: June 11, 2020, 04:40:21 PM »
Nemo posing, with no idea of what was watching him from a mere 20 away on our back deck...




Offline wj73

  • Posts: 783
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1796: June 11, 2020, 04:50:26 PM »
What a beauty. I’m not great with hawk IDs but I think it might be either a Cooper’s or a juvie Red Tail.


I don’t blame Nemo for staying away since the hawk obviously bit Nemo’s front legs off. 

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25619
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1797: June 11, 2020, 04:57:59 PM »
Looks like mister hawk has been leaving turds on your deck. 

Offline skippy1999

  • Posts: 19400
  • Believe!!!
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1798: June 11, 2020, 04:58:15 PM »
What a fabulous pic, VaRK!!

Offline varoadking

  • Posts: 29460
  • King of Goodness
Re: Backyard critters
« Reply #1799: June 11, 2020, 05:02:14 PM »
Looks like mister hawk has been leaving turds on your deck.

Funny you should mention that: