Author Topic: Backyard critters (Read 173290 times)

varoadking · « **Reply #775 on:** January 14, 2015, 01:54:09 pm »

In the backyard a moment ago...western Henrico County...

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #776 on:** January 14, 2015, 02:05:01 pm »

Great shot

skippy1999 · « **Reply #777 on:** January 14, 2015, 02:31:18 pm »

What a fantastic pic

thanks for posting that VaRK!

varoadking · « **Reply #778 on:** January 14, 2015, 06:04:36 pm »

I understand this is a Red-shouldered Hawk. Magnificent creature...

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-shouldered_hawk/lifehistory

You cant really tell the scale, but this is a big bird...

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #779 on:** January 14, 2015, 06:13:39 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on January 14, 2015, 06:04:36 pm

I understand this is a Red-shouldered Hawk. Magnificent creature...

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-shouldered_hawk/lifehistory

You cant really tell the scale, but this is a big bird...

Awesome
Hope you don't have a small dog.

varoadking · « **Reply #780 on:** January 14, 2015, 06:47:10 pm »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on January 14, 2015, 06:13:39 pm

Awesome
Hope you don't have a small dog.

My wife does. I often encourage her to let the hateful little bastard run in the backyard. She doesn't think it's funny.

One of these had a squirrel pinned one day. One of our cats went after the hawk, and it flew away...frightened for it's life. Cool cat...

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #781 on:** January 15, 2015, 04:13:50 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on January 14, 2015, 06:04:36 pm

I understand this is a Red-shouldered Hawk. Magnificent creature...

Isn't that John McCain with uneven sunscreen?

1995hoo · « **Reply #782 on:** January 24, 2015, 01:21:21 pm »

My mom sent me this picture of a deer attempting to raid one of their bird feeders on Thursday afternoon. They live just east of Fairfax City.

Kevrock · « **Reply #783 on:** January 24, 2015, 11:06:27 pm »

Tons of fox activity lately. Seems to be a territory dispute between two foxes, they've been chasing each other around. Also seeing them up and down my road regularly while driving.

mitlen · « **Reply #784 on:** January 25, 2015, 10:11:58 am »

Quote from: Kevrock on January 24, 2015, 11:06:27 pm

Tons of fox activity lately. Seems to be a territory dispute between two foxes, they've been chasing each other around. Also seeing them up and down my road regularly while driving.

Matin' season ...

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #785 on:** January 25, 2015, 06:14:55 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on January 25, 2015, 10:11:58 am

Matin' season ...

got to stay warm. I've chased some foxes too, just not very successfully.

varoadking · « **Reply #786 on:** January 26, 2015, 02:08:13 pm »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on January 25, 2015, 06:14:55 pm

got to stay warm. I've chased some foxes too, just not very successfully.

Stick to cougars...they'll chase you...

mitlen · « **Reply #787 on:** January 26, 2015, 02:13:32 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on January 26, 2015, 02:08:13 pm

Stick to cougars...they'll chase you...

... and they usually have money. Foxes are high maintenance and needy. You and I would have to scour the porch at a Sunrise Senior Living Community for a "cougar".

varoadking · « **Reply #788 on:** January 26, 2015, 03:20:37 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on January 26, 2015, 02:13:32 pm

... and they usually have money. Foxes are high maintenance and needy. You and I would have to scour the porch at a Sunrise Senior Living Community for a "cougar".

My wife is almost 10 months older than me, so technically, I've already bagged mine...

mitlen · « **Reply #789 on:** January 26, 2015, 03:21:49 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on January 26, 2015, 03:20:37 pm

My wife is almost 10 months older than me, so technically, I've already bagged mine...

My wife is 12 years younger than me and she's still working.

varoadking · « **Reply #790 on:** January 26, 2015, 03:26:30 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on January 26, 2015, 03:21:49 pm

My wife is 12 years younger than me and she's still working.

Don't screw that up...

Funny...when I retired, Social Security started giving my wife even more money on her own account. They couldn't explain why, but I'm not complaining.

1995hoo · « **Reply #791 on:** February 07, 2015, 06:57:45 pm »

Earlier this afternoon at my parents' house in Fairfax.

varoadking · « **Reply #792 on:** February 07, 2015, 06:58:49 pm »

Magnificent creatures...

mitlen · « **Reply #793 on:** February 07, 2015, 07:05:34 pm »

Quote from: varoadking on February 07, 2015, 06:58:49 pm

Magnificent creatures...

Squirrel killers

tomterp · « **Reply #794 on:** February 07, 2015, 08:20:44 pm »

Last Saturday my wife and I both heard a "whomph" sound, and she actually saw the hawk fly into our screen on our porch, in hot pursuit of another bird. We found no injured bird so evidently the screen was soft enough to enable survival.

tomterp · « **Reply #795 on:** February 07, 2015, 08:22:07 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on February 07, 2015, 07:05:34 pm

Squirrel killers

I think they really keep the bunny population down in our 'hood. Squirrels, not so much.

mitlen · « **Reply #796 on:** February 07, 2015, 08:46:28 pm »

Quote from: tomterp on February 07, 2015, 08:22:07 pm

I think they really keep the bunny population down in our 'hood. Squirrels, not so much.

I have about 4 or 5 squirrels who are regular visitors to the back yard. Since you mention it, I haven't seen many bunnies around lately. Hmmm .... I'll be on the look out for hawks.

tomterp · « **Reply #797 on:** February 07, 2015, 08:48:26 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on February 07, 2015, 08:46:28 pm

I have about 4 or 5 squirrels who are regular visitors to the back yard. Since you mention it, I haven't seen many bunnies around lately. Hmmm .... I'll be on the look out for hawks.

I haven't seen a bunny here in 10 years. But we also have a lot of fox too, so that might be just as relevant.

Still have plenty of chipmunks, little bastards tunneling under my front porch relentlessly.

mitlen · « **Reply #798 on:** February 07, 2015, 08:57:03 pm »

Quote from: tomterp on February 07, 2015, 08:48:26 pm

I haven't seen a bunny here in 10 years. But we also have a lot of fox too, so that might be just as relevant.

Still have plenty of chipmunks, little bastards tunneling under my front porch relentlessly.

I don't know about all that but how the hell do you rid the neighborhood of a murder (60 or so) of crows?

tomterp · « **Reply #799 on:** February 07, 2015, 09:01:20 pm »

Quote from: mitlen on February 07, 2015, 08:57:03 pm

I don't know about all that but how the hell do you rid the neighborhood of a murder (60 or so) of crows?

Same way as rats, stop leaving garbage out where they can get at it.

Go for their food source.