Really didn't pay that much
 

I really didn't pay that much attention. They did sound different tho. Two different calls. One was at the back side of the house and one was at the side of the house. When we first moved here, we heard one a lot and even I think I remember seeing a pale colored one. White or gray and it was about the size of a volleyball. But I may be getting my memories mixed up. I haven't heard them the last few nights. Maybe they are otherwise occupied. :D

We get so used to seeing so many critters because we are in true woods. The neighbors all moved in and brought the city with them on small acreage. We didn't thin ours or mow it or anything and there are no restrictions on the lot. So the wildlife has migrated to our property. Which is one of the reasons we bought where we did. I do wish the snakes would stay off tho. I don't like snakes of any kind. We've had squirrels, possum, armadillo, birds of all kinds including hawk, can't even remember all the interesting things we've seen.

This summer while I was stuck in the house the first time, a large garden spider actually spun her web from one porch post to the house. I spent many a day watching her and it was so interesting. I am still mourning the loss of "Charlotte". She finally lived out her days. I'd leave the front porch light on so she could feast on as many mosquitoe as she could! I got to where I'd open the front door first thing in the morning to check on her. Maybe one of her offspring will find the same spot next summer.

Melody, you have missed so much.

Billye

I have heard of
 

Great horned owls carrying off cats. And I read a nature essay once where
a Great Horned carried off a toy poodle.

So if they are very hungry, I would suspect a small dog or cat could be at risk.

I sure wish we had an owl or three or more
 

around here! As even tho its suburbs [civilized with sidewalks, curbs and all] we do have lots of issues with raccoons, possums, some fox and even deer and bear [we live less than a mile from a park plus power line easements] Of course we have lots of squirrells [BTW? Do not ever approach one w/out heavy leather gloves! I found one kicked out of a nest once and raised it...neat and smart creatures -BUT when they bite? Bad news!] Only recently, and we've been here over 20+ years have I seen chipmunks. But we do have WOODPECKERS! They work on the trees, house and Wow- the gutters! For some reason, they love attacking the gutters! It is truly EYE-OPENING at sunrise to have a jack-hammer on your house. Red-headed, Downey's, Flickers of all kinds and at some times of the year the Pileateds! Those are truly impressive.

Cathie, sorry to hijack your thread this way...But my birding list is extensive, and most from/in my back yard. The herons and a golden eagle not far away were my favorites tho...Such majesty!

I am going to check out that owl box site...It would be wonderful! I envy you truly. - j

This links to a site of a 'nest' that we have had on our house for ages and ages...makes a nice present for yourself or others?
http://www.williamsburgmarketplace.c...tgroupId=13938 You can't get more classic than this?


I have to admit tho? I'm gonna pass on Bats...Maybe it's that Halloween is coming?

Ha... No problem with the hijacking... Post away... It is a nice break from thinging about feeling bad...

My friend here, approached a squirrel couple, and interrupted er, ah, delicately put, an intimate moment... One ran off; the other ran over and bit my friend in the stomach!!!

We are in the suburbs... Houses are built 10 feet apart and out lot is only 60 X 120, most of which is house, yet we are seeing quite a few birds and animals. I have various birds and Mallards every year, now the owl, possums, squirrels, hawks and would love to have more woodpeckers, but there are not too many... We lived here over 20 years before we saw our first squirrel... Area was too new...

Like other suburbs, we have had our share of problems when encroaching on what was wildlife territory. One GH owl killed a cat, and then we have coyote issues sometimes. You really have to watch little dogs and cats when you have GH Owls, big hawks and coyotes in the area. A Yorkie was grabbed by a coyote a block away, right off of its patio...

My husband is a world class birder, who has birded and photographed birds in numerous countries of the world. Most of what little I know, I have learned from him.

Cathie

Oh yeah, Shame on me.

I have never, in all my life, been the one that goes hiking, camping, nature watching, whatever. To me, roughing it is a hotel without a tv.

I am NOT RAMBO!! I can just see me with a pair of binoculars, going owl watching, bird watching, squirrel watching, ...oh wait, we do have squirrels here in Brooklyn, I see them all the time, scampering up the trees. They have the biggest bushiest tails.

Hey, I'm a nature watcher now!!!! lol

Melody

Heh heh Mel... I am going to hike in the living room and camp on the couch, so I can look up at my owl now... :) It is almost time for him to appear...

Cathie

So did you decide on a name??

mel

Nope... Not yet. :) I haven't had anything really strike me yet. Still waiting on something to jump out at me... I wish you could see him right now. He is sooo cute, sitting in the opening of his house waiting to leave and go get dinner. He looks like he needs his neck scratched...

If I knew how to work my digital camera and transfer pictures to the Internet, I would post a picture... Unfortunately, I am technologically impaired... :) :) :)

Cathie

The little dogs and owls
 

I've worried about this, and I do have 3 little dogs. They are usually all together in the back yard when we let them out. The yard is small and fenced just for them. But they have to be outside some. We are just never far away. We actually have a neighbor two doors down the road who had his little dog snatched by a coyote or a wolf. We think it was a wolf. The neighbor on the other side of him raised half wolf/half german shepards. So when this happened he got rid of the wolf and sold off the hybrids. I've had another friend who actually bought one of the hybrids and they are very territorial. They greet you by putting your entire hand in their mouth. I was always careful to make a fist so I wouldn't lose a finger. It was surprising to see how gentle she was with us tho. But we had been around her a lot.

I'm watching for owls and not putting an owl house up!

Billye

Well, I was all worried about the owls getting my Yorkies, but then the former student said what I should be worried about were the Red-tailed hawks. They are out hunting in the daytime; the owls hunt at night... I thought, well, maybe the hawks are no problem, since I had never seen any, and the next day I saw 2 fly over...

I just try not to let mine out in the yard alone... This is not always possible, but I do try... When they go out, I wish I had some creative way to contain them with something over the top, like a covered area... My dogs are not as big as some small rabbits.

Cathie

P.S. Billye, these owl boxes attract very small Screech owls, not the big owls...