Wild-life photos

[BPSabelhaus]

Another seasonal visitor. Usually it's the male and female together.

 

[Rose of Sharon]

Had to clean up after a raptor. I think this was a dove, and the bird of prey is some kind of hawk. I haven't seen it land in order to tell what type it is, but there are two that are circling the neighborhood.

I'm also finding dead gold finches. I think we have a feral cat doing that. The finches should be leaving us soon to move on northward for their mating season.

Oh well, time to pick up the bird food, I guess, or put it out in the open where the cat can't sneak up on them.

 

[A201]

Gold finches are super quick and typically aren't ground birds. It's hard to imagine a cat ambushing one in a tree

I collected and took pics of the feathers. They truly are beautiful.

 

[Rose of Sharon]

Gold finches are super quick and typically aren't ground birds. It's hard to imagine a cat ambushing one in a tree

I collected and took pics of the feathers. They truly are beautiful.

We don't get to see them in their beautiful black and yellow colors. They are mostly this dull green, and are just starting to turn yellow when they leave us for their nesting areas.

Spring has sprung here. It's gonna be 86 degrees tomorrow. We had 4 racoons in the front yard last night. We have a fox living under our shed (probably with kits), along with an armadillo that is just digging holes all over the yard, and another fox couple living across the street that saunters over from time to time. I have a ruby throated hummingbird that showed up three or four days ago. And this afternoon, I had to remove a speckled king snake from the front of our house. It was trying to get into a crack in the walk way where small lizards often hide. And tonight, we have a line of thunder storms that should be here in a couple of hours that might have up to 50 mph wind gusts along with medium sized hail.

Yeah, spring is here alright....and I am already missing the cold weather, lol!!!!

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Stumpy came up to the backdoor and within about 3 ft of the cat and I through glass. Hung out for a few when the dogs saw what was going on but eventually ran off to the lilac before I let them out

 

[DoubleDutch]

Quite rare birds in The Netherlands

Since 2001 they nest in our country again (In the area I visited thursday) in 2024 70 pairs

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Limu Emu! Visited a city park with a waterfall. Place across the street has emus

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Too late to edit I guess. A little spider moved into the terrarium and had a web in the corner. Didn't see it until I lifted the lid to spritz the tank.

Also the tree frogs are finally croaking Can't wait to get pics again. Such pretty metallic bronze patterns over a bright green.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Gary (frog from the snail tank) is doing well

Gary has a friend! Took video from the kitchen because they dive when I walk out. Gary is in the blue tub, the new frog as of last night is in the shallow white tub. You can see the water moving as they croak The other frog was in the tub next to Gary last night. If two males or females it appears they are staking out individual tubs which is cool. At least it's a sign they're comfortable with them as spawning grounds. So far no claims on the tubs I want to use for the sticklebacks this year, but it's the two tubs I had intended to move for better daphnia production. Oh well guess something is right in those tubs.

For ID I think this is a winner
Cascades Frog (U.S. National Park Service)

Well, Gary is certainly having fun with the new friend. One is giving the other a piggy back ride while they yell... Seriously this is cool gonna try videos.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Three tubs have eggs in them

 

[DoubleDutch]

Yeahhhh the migrated birds have returned. Most ducks stay here during the winter.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Heard a thumping in the distance a bit ago. Came inside to grab my coffee and when I went to go back out Woody showed up
They spend the warm time here. Very cool birds, until they learn the chimney cap is much louder to attract a mate than the trees lol It echoes through the house and neighborhood lol

 

[BPSabelhaus]

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Just saw the first couple free swimming when I disturbed the plant mass slightly
I was assuming snails but wasn't sure. Bladder and ramshorns I've seen plenty of egg packs but not these. A lot of those egg packs too.

 

[Rose of Sharon]

Found this shedded snake skin in my flower bed. If you can zoom in, you can even see where it's eyes were! I did see the little guy, and it is a speckled king snake.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Better picture of "Gary" kiddos friend named a frog Dave so yeah lol Davina? Davina lol

 

[Fishfur]

Better picture of "Gary" kiddos friend named a frog Dave so yeah lol Davina? Davina lol

What species is she ( or he, or whatever)?

 

[KingOscar]

Baby turtle found on our back patio. Moved him to the wetlands water which seemed an insurmountable trek for such a tiny guy. (wetlands water is low this season)

Snake that lives in the crack of our front sidewalk. We say hi to him when we walk by.

 

[DoubleDutch]

And again some birdpics

 

[Fishfur]

And again some birdpics

There are some very attractive birds in your part of the world - nice to see them.

 

[kallililly1973]

Baby turtle found on our back patio. Moved him to the wetlands water which seemed an insurmountable trek for such a tiny guy. (wetlands water is low this season)

Snake that lives in the crack of our front sidewalk. We say hi to him when we walk by.

Good for you getting him back to the wetlands. Might have been picked up by a bird and dropped if it was that far away from where you’re saying? That snakes a trip! Is it a garter snake?

 

[86 ssinit]

Was upstate for the week. Some pick

 

[DoubleDutch]

Had to share these hahaha.

 

[Fishfur]

Had to share these hahaha.

A new interpretation of an Uber Mom!

 

[KingOscar]

Good for you getting him back to the wetlands. Might have been picked up by a bird and dropped if it was that far away from where you’re saying? That snakes a trip! Is it a garter snake?

Normally our wetlands fills with water late winter/early spring and we have turtles 80 feet from our house. This year that never happened. This guy was simply too far from the water to make it on his own.

First photo shows waterline from our property edge two years ago. This year I had to walk through last years tall dead grass all the way to where the tall trees are to get him to the water. (photo 2) This too can dry out later in the season but connects to a large pond farther north.

Yes, a garter snake. One section of walk raised up out of line with the adjoining section and I wanted to dig it up to level it. But the snake has been living there for 2 or 3 years so my wife won't allow me to touch it! I don't blame her, I like snakes also.

 

[Rose of Sharon]

Found this female red eared slider trying to lay eggs right next to our walkway yesterday. I picked her up and moved her as fast as I could to a ditch across the road that is overgrown. The owners of that property don't always cut the grass/weeds there. Where she was attempting to lay, the eggs would be destroyed by the lawmower and edger...no getting around it. I felt guilty about moving her because she was literally in labor (if you can use that word for turtles that are laying eggs). She had dug a small area up and was about to start laying. I have no idea why she picked that spot out in the open because it was not secure in any way. Maybe this is her first time? I got to her before she passed any of her eggs. I am hoping that she was able to lay and that the little ones hatch!

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Bad pics, but I thought Stumpy was playing with a dog toy until I realized she's gathering nest materials

Now that I know what she's doing I was able to get better pics and video.
So cool seeing how she rolls it into a ball.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Junco using the little river to bathe

 

[Fishfur]

Starting to look right jungly .

 

[BPSabelhaus]

I moved a few things around and the left approach to the table is briefly like walking through a real garden lol

 

[kallililly1973]

Followed this around my yard today to get a couple snapshots. Correct me if I’m wrong buts supposedly a tiger swallowtail.

 

[bgarthe]

Yes…..that is what it is. Nice pics.

 

[kallililly1973]

Yes…..that is what it is. Nice pics.

I think there were a few variants. Eastern Western and Canadian but didn’t want to guess wrong. I’m in the East but still didn’t want to assume that’s what it was.

 

[kallililly1973]

Found this hanging out next to one of my garden beds. Can anyone verify what type? Did a google search and it says rat snake?

 

[Fishfur]

Looks like Pantherophis obsoletus - Black rat snake or just Black snake.

Native to the central area of North America. They are quite beautiful. They’re constrictors.

Poor thing looks to have a nasty wound.

Not bad to have around - they eat some critters you probably don’t want around but they also eat a few critters you’d rather they didn’t.

Along with small rodents, they’ll eat other snakes (including their own kind), frogs, lizards, chipmunks & squirrels, moles, young rabbits & opossums plus small birds & their eggs. They seem to prefer cavity nesting species - noted as a major predator of Purple Martin colonies.

​

 

[kallililly1973]

Looks like Pantherophis obsoletus - Black rat snake. Native to the central area of North America. They are quite beautiful snakes.

Poor thing looks to have a nasty wound.

​

Yes it did have a bad red mark on it. Thanks for the verification!!

Looks like Pantherophis obsoletus - Black rat snake or just Black snake.

Native to the central area of North America. They are quite beautiful. They’re constrictors.

Poor thing looks to have a nasty wound.

Not bad to have around - they eat some critters you probably don’t want around but they also eat a few critters you’d rather they didn’t.

Along with small rodents, they’ll eat other snakes (including their own kind), frogs, lizards, chipmunks & squirrels, moles, young rabbits & opossums plus small birds & their eggs. They seem to prefer cavity nesting species - noted as a major predator of Purple Martin colonies.

​

I’m up in the north east New England area. A neighbor just cut down an enormous tree behind my house do you think it could have been living in or around it? This is the first time ever seeing such a species and I have lived there for 20 years..aside from the wound it appeared to have been eating well judging by its size in person.. it went to slither away but I grabbed its tail and pulled it back out and it lunged at me then coiled into the ball and just watched for a minute then went under the fence.

 

[A201]

Looks like a Rat Snake to me too. They grow really big and thick. I've seen five footers in my hay field.
They will sometimes have a Red line on both sides of their head.

Not poisonous, but they sure will bite. Rat Snakes are good to have around. They eat other snakes as well as nuisance rabbits and of course field rats.

Oh, I forgot, they can climb trees and raid bird nests. The last one I killed was on my neighbor's porch. The snake had climbed a porch support pole and had eaten a group of baby birds.

 

[kallililly1973]

Looks like a Rat Snake to me too. They grow really big and thick. I've seen five footers in my hay field.
They will sometimes have a Red line on both sides of their head.

Not poisonous, but they sure will bite. Rat Snakes are good to have around. They eat other snakes as well as nuisance rabbits and of course field rats.

Oh, I forgot, they can climb trees and raid bird nests. The last one I killed was on my neighbor's porch. The snake had climbed a porch support pole and had eaten a group of baby birds.

Hopefully it sticks around. Never seen any in my area and I e lived in the north east my entire life. Maybe I’ll get some chain mail gloves for when my garden fills in Incase he thinks my arm is edible hahahaha

 

[kallililly1973]

Looks like a jumping spider found a meal and was feasting on it.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Made a trip to Norway

 

[BPSabelhaus]

 

[Fishfur]

Made a trip to Norway

Love the Puffins - they remind me of penguins - perhaps masquerading as clowns? .

 

[FishDin]

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That's rather cute. who is it?

 

[BPSabelhaus]

Frog or hand? lol Frog is just one of many, hand is kiddos friend. She's fearless.

 

[BPSabelhaus]

A lot of dragonflies around the house this year. Guessing the frogs breeding in the ponds means other things find it acceptable in some way.

 

[FishDin]

Not really "wildlife" I guess...

One of my Air plants flowered this week. They get a one hour soak in fish tank water weekly. They've grown a lot since I got them last Fall. This one in the photo turns bright red just days before it flowers.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Some pollinators doing their job

 

[Rose of Sharon]

This little red bellied woodpecker guy/girl was determined to get those sunflower seeds....I'm seeing a few of these chicks around the yard now!

 

[fishywoo]

Not really "wildlife" I guess...

One of my Air plants flowered this week. They get a one hour soak in fish tank water weekly. They've grown a lot since I got them last Fall. This one in the photo turns bright red just days before it flowers.

How long do you soak them? And do you also mist them?

I use to have little ones for a few months inside a lantern. Sprayed them everyday with fish water, but then missed some days here and there and they dried out. Would love to try it again.

 

[FishDin]

How long do you soak them? And do you also mist them?

I soak them once each week for an hour on water change day. They get the old tank water. That's it. They live on a north facing window sill, so they get bright light, but no direct sun. My friend that gave me most of them has a lot of them. She spays them daily, but hers don't grow or bloom.

Another friend gave me one that was doing poorly for her. It's now doubled in size and is rather lush.

I've left them for 2+ week on a couple occasions and they didn't seem to suffer.