 |
Wild and Not So Wild World |
talo ka
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Jul 26, 2007
Posts: 451
From: tampa, fla
|  Posted: 2010-09-02 3:21 pm Permalink
curly tails must die. so far i haven't seen any up my way.
|
AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2010-10-06 08:45 am Permalink
I am redoing the tile in house. Much of the tile I'm using has been stored in my wood shed for several years. So when I pulled out the tile for installation I found this. Almost perfect skeleton. I donated it to my daughters science class.
|
MadDogMike
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 6404
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2010-10-06 1:16 pm Permalink
Did you identify the species Tom? Raccoon?
There are raccoons in our area but in 50 years I have never seen a live one but I see dead ones on the road a couple times a year. My son hit one in the car the other day, said it was a big one - at least 30 lbs. Busted up the underside of the bumper and knocked out the lower grill. I'm just glad he wasn't on his crotch-rocket.
|
AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2010-10-07 08:17 am Permalink
Nothing that exotic or big. This was a rat. About a year ago my neighbors started putting out baits. I'm guessing this one took the bait and found a quiet place to retire. What amazed me is that I never smelled it and at how clean the ants had gotten the bones!
|
AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2010-10-18 08:22 am Permalink
Here's something else. While working on a local MTB trail - I started moving some lumber and when I noticed this little guy stuck under some 2x4s. Not the guy but the snake. A 6' corn snake. While working we also came upon several baby ones. My buddy is holding it, which was worth the picture - he's not all that into "nature".
|
talo ka
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Jul 26, 2007
Posts: 451
From: tampa, fla
| Posted: 2010-10-18 3:53 pm Permalink
he looks uncoomfortable right down to the forced smile.
|
MadDogMike
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 6404
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2010-11-25 10:37 am Permalink
Saw another coyote this morning about 20 feet from the house. Coyotes are an amazing animal; while every other predator in the world is losing distribution and population, coyotes are gaining. There are 1 million coyotes living within Los Angeles city limits. They will eat anything dead or alive, animal or vegetable, including poodles and other small rat dogs. When food is plentiful coyotes breed early in life and have large litters, when food is scarce they delay breeding and then have small liters. The Indians believed that coyotes would be that last animals left on earth.
|
talo ka
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Jul 26, 2007
Posts: 451
From: tampa, fla
| Posted: 2010-11-25 12:05 pm Permalink
when the cataclyism comes only roachs, coyotes, and keith richards will survive.
|
AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2010-12-01 6:04 pm Permalink
The day before Turkey Day I was on the road heading to the FL Panhadle. I stopped in Apopka for a quick dip in the Springs. While walking around the park, there were several flocks of wild turkeys roaming around. I'm glad they didn't understand the fate of their domesticated cousins - there were enough of them that could have easily ganged up on us to exact some sweet revenge.
|
hiltiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 10, 2004
Posts: 2775
From: Reseda, calif.
| Posted: 2010-12-01 7:47 pm Permalink
Do turkeys fly???
|
AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2010-12-02 10:39 am Permalink
Yes, turkeys do fly. They are ground forragers (meaning they spend most of their time on the ground looking for food). They are also very fast on their feet. We also saw some deer and a river otter! Kelly Park in Apopka - a very cool place to visit if you are in the Orlando area. It is part of the Wekiva River spring system.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/springs/orl-travel-rock-springs-state-reserve-story,0,5473339.story
|
AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2011-01-14 06:29 am Permalink
While at work I heard something outside my window. On a ledge just outside my office this little guy (a hawk) was feasting on something. I couldn't tell what it was but I would guess it was a rat. He stayed there for about an hour and picked every piece of meat off the bones. Predtory birds are plentiful down here, but rarely do you get to see a wild one so close. I tapped on the window to get his attention but he was too preoccupied with his meal!
|
WaikikianMoeKele
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 25, 2008
Posts: 385
From: West Leroy, Pennsylvania
| Posted: 2011-01-14 5:47 pm Permalink
We had a Screech Owl (grey phase) in the barn today. He kept watching us as we walked back & forth in the barn. My decent camera has gone totally wonky so I couldn't get a decent pic of it.
~kele
|
AlohaStation
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 27, 2004
Posts: 2003
From: So FL
| Posted: 2011-01-18 06:32 am Permalink
The day I had the hawk outside my window it was also outside the Agency next to us, Laser Advertising. The owner came over and took some video (the shot taken from the inside window is from my desk). Totally over the top but also pretty cool...
http://bit.ly/coopershawk
|
MadDogMike
Grand Member (3 years)
Joined: Mar 30, 2008
Posts: 6404
From: The Anvil of the Sun
| Posted: 2011-01-18 5:48 pm Permalink
Great video even if the soundtrack is a bit dramatic 
Tom, I'm envious of your office window view - here's the view from my desk
My only wildlife is a roadkill Garfield!
|
