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Wild and Not So Wild World |
MadDogMike
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 6403
From: The Anvil of the Sun
|  Posted: 2011-06-25 10:17 am Permalink
Ha! I had heard of Gentle Ben but I did't see any TV in the 60's (or much since then for that matter)
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Clay, the oldest and most divine art media;
"And now, from the clay of the ground, the Lord God formed man" Genesis 2:7
Pirate Ship Tree House
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AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2011-06-25 2:16 pm Permalink
My dad's place is close to the SR Mall. Their property is next to Hurlbert Field, which has a LARGE protected wooded area (part of the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake sanctuary - that's part of where the Army Rangers train). My dad has told me many stories about his battle to live with the bears. Apparently they like to climb his fence, swim in his pool and dig through his trash. Cleaning the skimmer in his pool is an adventure - once when I was visiting we found a 6' king snake, still alive!
Mike - what doesn't FL have? Every time I turn around there's some other type of critter roaming around. Bears are fairly common everywhere in FL. 90% of FL is very rural - the other 10% has its own type of wildlife!
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AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2011-06-29 12:41 pm Permalink
Case in point...
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/blogs/green-south-florida/sfl-nile-monitor-sightings-increase-in-broward-palm-beach-20110628,0,6013384.story
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MadDogMike
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 6403
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2011-06-29 12:52 pm Permalink
Do we really need a Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake sanctuary???!!! Can't we just let the damned things die out?
Tom, I got a question for you - do buzzards eat dead buzzards? We have a lot of Turkey Vultures out here. This morning I saw a dead one beside the road and 2 live ones standing near by. Were they mourning the loss of a friend or were they getting ready for breakfast?  Sorry, no picture.
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Clay, the oldest and most divine art media;
"And now, from the clay of the ground, the Lord God formed man" Genesis 2:7
Pirate Ship Tree House
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AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2011-06-29 1:31 pm Permalink
What's interesting is that the rattlesnake sanctuary is part of Eglin Air Force Base. Eglin is where the Army Rangers train and practice. Several years ago a couple Rangers died of "exposure" while training. I always wondered what they were "exposed" to? Eglin is also home to a mountain bike trail that winds its way through the heart of the protected property. While riding, one time I saw 3 - haven't been back since!
We have Turkey buzards too! Never seen them pass up any type of meal??
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AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2011-07-21 08:08 am Permalink
I thought it was just me. I have been carving in my garage with the door closed because these things have been REALLY bad (the garage is not a cool/refreshing place to carve when its 90+ outside).
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/health/fl-mosquito-season-20110722,0,3709131.story
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AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2011-08-06 2:23 pm Permalink
I almost walked into this guy while mowing the grass. His web is so fine it is almost invisible. Must be effective, because you can see all of the bugs its caught. While taking the picture it was feeding on a freshly caught bee (those are bees and beetles above the spider, so you can see the proportions)). This is a big Golden Silk Spider - now, during their season these are in every gap between tress and buildings.
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Jungle Trader
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 04, 2003
Posts: 3691
From: Trader's Jungle Outpost, Turlock, Ca.
| Posted: 2011-08-06 5:22 pm Permalink
Heebie Geebies man. But they serve a purpose eating bugs. Thank you Mr. Spider, jus don't bite me please.
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tikipaka
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: May 31, 2006
Posts: 633
From: New York
| Posted: 2011-08-06 5:41 pm Permalink
Just a story here. I'm always amazed at what I see when I'm laying on a float or just up on the deck by the pool. I few weeks ago I bald eagle came out of one of the tall pine trees and flew over head no more than 20 feet above me and into the woods. What a site. Then last night around 7:00 pm we were just floating around in the pool and my husband says here they come. And I said what? The turkey's he said.  I never really seen a turkey in a tree before, but apparently every evening around the same time, the entire family comes walking through the woods, and one by one they fly up and land in a big catalpa tree behind the pool.. The mom & dad are huge and make a lot of noise in their leaps. But the little ones look like they have no problem flying up to the branches.. I never knew that's where they sleep. Did you?
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tikipaka
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: May 31, 2006
Posts: 633
From: New York
| Posted: 2011-08-08 02:53 am Permalink
What a scare yesterday when the dog's went crazy barking and jumping at the back door! Thank god I looked out the door before opening it! There standing in a walking position and looking straight at the door was a Big Bear! Everyone ran for their camera's but it started to walk towards the neighbors yard, stood up on the pool pump house looking right at my son now standing it the back yard trying to get a picture. The bear turned as my son starts now walking backwards at this point and the bear start moving towards him.. Thank god once he was out of view because of a tree, the bear went in the opposite direction... Never did get a picture, but It scared the heck out of me!
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Will carve
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 06, 2011
Posts: 363 | Posted: 2011-09-05 09:12 am Permalink
After all that bitein & slippin
Look what happened
[ This Message was edited by: Will carve 2011-09-05 09:15 ]
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AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2011-10-02 5:09 pm Permalink
On the way to my local mountain bike trail I pass by a canal. Littered all along the canal are shells, snail shells. Thousands of them. Most are empty but some are not. South Florida is bird central - everything from ducks to osprey to egrets to cranes to storks... Birds are everywhere, especially in the local Park. This guy let me walk to about 6' from him before he flew off with a snail in its beak.
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VampiressRN
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Nov 23, 2006
Posts: 5085
From: Sin City Lincoln Hills (NorCal)
| Posted: 2011-10-02 5:21 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2011-06-29 12:52, MadDogMike wrote:
Do we really need a Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake sanctuary???!!! Can't we just let the damned things die out?
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I am with you on that one...we actually don't need any snakes in my opinion. My male Golden Retriever got a rattlesnake bite a few months ago...had to get anti-venom and stay overnight...caught it in time thank goodness.
edit...meant to post this viral video here too...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsC4xBzzBQk
[ This Message was edited by: VampiressRN 2011-10-02 17:44 ]
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Chuck Tatum is Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 12, 2011
Posts: 1674
From: Southern Cailifornia
| Posted: 2011-10-02 5:47 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2011-10-02 17:21, VampiressRN wrote:
Quote:
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On 2011-06-29 12:52, MadDogMike wrote:
Do we really need a Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake sanctuary???!!! Can't we just let the damned things die out?
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I am with you on that one...we actually don't need any snakes in my opinion. My male Golden Retriever got a rattlesnake bite a few months ago...had to get anti-venom and stay overnight...caught it in time thank goodness.
edit...meant to post this viral video here too...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsC4xBzzBQk
[ This Message was edited by: VampiressRN 2011-10-02 17:44 ]
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These snakes keep the wild rodent population down, its all about the balance of nature.
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VampiressRN
Grand Member (5 years)
Joined: Nov 23, 2006
Posts: 5085
From: Sin City Lincoln Hills (NorCal)
| Posted: 2011-10-02 5:57 pm Permalink
Yeah I know...but we don't need rodents either...and cockroaches are not necessary...oh dear...I could go on and on...damn PETA!!!
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