Little Lady

I don't know if I have just not been watching, or what, but I haven't seen hummingbirds here for quite a while.  So, imagine my surprise when I saw one right outside my window several weeks ago (when the Penstemon digitalis was finishing up).

I encountered this little lady again, yesterday, while walking past the trumpet vine (that I inherited from a previous owner--it has only begun to bloom over the
past two years.

 Coming around the corner, I must have startled her...she took off ahead of me--probably the only reason I noticed.  Luckily, I had my digital

camera with me, and I zoomed in to snap some pics when I saw her alight on a branch of an elm tree.

I am glad to be seeing this little lady visiting...
and I hope she brings her mate and their friends--or their rivals...
I know how territorial they can be.

Old Encounter: A Blast from the Past

While searching my archived photos, I stumbled upon a video that I didn't even recall taking.  This is from a cherished encounter that I posted back in 2014.  Having this footage, allows the magic of that encounter to be relived again and again.

Years ago, I was taking pictures of a frog that was under my deck.  After a while, I got this feeling that something was behind me or something was watching me.  To this day, I don't know if I actually heard something or just sensed it.

I wasn't expecting to see anything, so, when I turned and came--nearly--face to face with a fawn, I let out a gasp.  The gasp startled the curious, little fawn.  It jumped back a bit.  It had startled me...but had I not reacted like that, I can only imagine that we just would have looked at each other for a while.   I tried snapping some pictures with my (get this!) flip phone.  They came out rather blurry.

The mother, seeing her fawn so close to "that strange man" huffed, calling her fawn to her.

Here is the ending of that most amazing encounter:

Encounters

Surprisingly, spotting a luna moth on our property, this evening, was not enough to get me to post...it should have been (I'm thrilled), but it took another (near) encounter to get me to pull up my blog and share:

Surprise Visit

I guess the holidays aren't over yet in our house; Jeff and I were making another holiday treat before sitting down to binge watch House or Orange is the New Black--depends on what Jeff picked (either is fine by me).  We still have tonight and tomorrow before we head back to work after Christmas break.  We were toasting Pepperidge Farm thin white bread in the broiler to prepare them for a ham and cream cheese concoction that we make every year with left over ham.  I'd set the time, and was on my way to take out the bread when I spotted a deer just outside the kitchen window (the motion detecting light was on).  After getting Jeff's attention, he spotted another, and then a third, as I got my camera ready--too bad I didn't have the game came set up tonight!  Anyway, after taking some shots, Jeff announced that we'd burned the bread--we both laughed (easier to do since we hadn't spread it with the ham spread yet.   We started the process all over again, and I decided to post this before sitting down to enjoy the show.

Here is one of our surprise visitors:

Now off to enjoy my snack.

Heart-stopping Encounter

 I was walking the paths with camera in hand hoping to get some butterfly photos with the good light of the low angle of the sun.  Nothing caught my eye, so I continued along the path and--it is a little fuzzy how it happened but--I suddenly realized that there was a bear--yes a bear--just a little ways ahead of me!  I snapped a picture, and then, my heart started to race as I realized the potential danger of the situation.  I didn't expect an attack...it didn't even seem to know that I was there.  I figure they are afraid of humans, but wild animals are unpredictable.

My first and best shot (cropped).

A tighter close-up of the above.  Not bad.

I kept trying to take pictures, but missed shots as it turned around at the sound of a car.  After it passed, the bear heading back towards the road...and I ended up with only a blurred second photo:

 

Just the other week, I was talking to the neighbor who told me to be careful of bears as someone told them they'd seen one crossing the road opposite our yard.  He said he'd been told that the bear looks both ways before crossing--I missed that part, but I'd like to be able to verify it here. :)

I just missed a shot of the bear as it crossed the road and disappeared.

The only other time we saw a bear was our first year here (before I'd done much of anything to the yard)...and we were inside watching it through a window as it ate birdseed...this was quite a different experience. :)

Staying in the Moment

I *just* saw a bald eagle flying by!  There I was at the computer reading what's new on Wildlife Gardeners, when I glanced out the window to my left, one room away; that is when I saw it.  Being such a large bird it was no mistaking it even across about two acres.  The tell-tale white on its head and tail let me immediately recognize what I was seeing.  I jumped from the chair and ran to the kitchen window to get a better view--I'm sure the cats started at my sudden movement.

At the window, I got a better view, and instead of running back for the camera, I just enjoyed the sight.  That is the longest and closest I've ever seen one.  Had I got the camera, I'd likely have missed it all.  Sorry no pics to share, but I feel I'm a better man for having seen it. :)

Doe Update

A few hours later, I went out into the yard again with some seed to scatter away from the house.  When I got to where the deer was earlier, she was not there, so I entered (what I'm calling) "the woods" to put some seed where I normally do.  Right before I entered the path I realized that the doe was right in front of me, spooked, and trying to run up the steep slope.  That is when I realized she was injured.  One of her front legs was bloody and possibly mangled--it happened pretty fast.  I feel so badly not only that she is hurt, but that I went back and made her flee on a bad leg.

I went back to the house a different way so she didn't feel like I was pursuing her.  Back at the house, I grabbed two apples and some popcorn seed.  I went back to where I've seen here in the woods, and left a treat for her--assuming she returns.

If I find that she has returned, I'll try to give her more treats to help her get through the winter and heal. However, I don't want to go back and spook her again.  I'll figure it out.

Unexpected Encounter, Unexpected Shot

Today, after starting my Backyard Bird Count, I decided to head outside to try to get some shots of birds out in the yard (instead of just what I draw to the window).  I grabbed a handful of sunflower seed to scatter in a couple of spots out in the yard (as I've been doing for a month now).  As I approached the lower, far corner of the yard to put my last handful of seed, I spotted a deer in repose, but eyes open and alert to my presence.  I dropped the seed on the ground where I stood (instead of the usual place) and slowly got the camera ready.  Until now, especially this year, I've only been able to get a photo of them as they are fleeing for the most part.  So, this was a great chance to get a good shot.  It turned out okay, but is not as focused as I'd hoped.  Still, I'm so happy to have seen her, and to have left her undisturbed.

Today's Encounter

It all happened so fast, and, of course, I didn't have the camera with me anyway...this morning I went out to feed the birds, and startled a deer that was right by the greenhouse.  I must've heard a rustling and looked up.  By the time we'd made eye contact and I realized that it was a deer, it was gone.  I didn't even notice if it were a doe or a buck...the only thing that registered was that it was BIG!

I suspect, if it wasn't coming for the sunflower seeds, that it might've been after the apple peelings and cores that I threw onto the vegetable garden bed along with potato peelings and such.  I was fine with that and was looking forward to seeing it again (next time armed with a camera), until I realized that it might get into the habit of coming to the garden come spring and wreak havoc on the vegetables that will be growing by then!

Since I'm posting without a picture anyway, I guess now is as good a time as any to mention the encounter I had the other day--away from home.  I think I spotted two foxes!  We were pulling out of the parking lot of a restaurant after dusk when I saw movement of something near the dumpster.  A moment later I spotted two of them in the headlights of the car escaping into the weedy area.

I have never seen a live fox before (although I've seen one or two as roadkill before).  I've wanted to see them visiting our property--or, perhaps, making a den in the brush pile or something.  Maybe once the habitat starts to grow in  and I've added enough native shrubs, trees, grasses, and wildflowers.  For all I know, they could be visiting our property already...some day I'd like to get a game cam.  Knowing that I've spotted them less than twenty miles from here, I'd expect to have them out here more in the country.  I look forward to posting a photo (or more) of a fox utilizing the habitat I'm trying to provide.

Aiding the Unaided Eye

After the rain finally cleared today and the sun came out, I finally got out in the yard.  Although yesterday was supposed to get close to 80, today didn't even reach 60.  As I walked the paths trying to capture more of that autumn feeling, I could hear the tapping of a woodpecker...although I couldn't see him.  Using the camera, I took some shots of the trees in the distance, hoping to spot the woodpecker once I'd uploaded the photos and enlarged them.  That is when I noticed several birds perched in the treetops.  Snapping more pictures and walking closer, I saw that there were more than I'd realized.  At various times several flew off.  I snapped pictures of them in flight and then snapped more of the activity in the treetops.  

My hope was just to identify what I couldn't make out with the naked eye...but, after uploading the photos and seeing what they were, I began to hope that I had some good shots.

Unfortunately, the quality of the photos is not what I'd like, but I'm still thrilled to know that the cedar waxwings are visiting the yard again.

...and notice, in this photo, there is the downy (or hairy?) woodpecker.

Now for some better quality photos, of other berry producers that may end up attracting more of the waxwings among other fruit-loving birds.

...And one of the black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) that I planted as a bare root seedling...beginning to show off its fall color:

 
It is getting almost as tall as me...and I expect it to shoot up even faster in the coming years.  I'd love for it to bloom and produce berries this coming year, but I'm not sure how soon before it becomes sexually mature.  Here's hoping for next year or the following year...and here's hoping this is one of the femalesd--as I'd love to see the birds come that close to the house.

Yesterday's Encounter

Yesterday, I witnessed a Baltimore oriole pursuing a much larger crow.  I've seen smaller birds chasing off hawks and crows before, but this was the first time I witnessed it fairly close...what surprised me the most was that the male oriole actually made contact, either pecking or at least slamming into the back of the crow.

This encounter makes me wonder if there might be a pair of orioles nesting in the yard.  If I ever notice their unique nest, I'll be sure to post a follow up.

A Good Day

Today was a good day for encountering and capturing (in pictures) wildlife in the yard.

Goldfinch. These were taken through a window.

The Little Guy is Growing Up

After checking out a link from WildlifeGardeners to a buttefly identification site, I was reminded to check on the spicebush swallowtail caterpillar.

He looks like he is now in the fourth instar and has changed color with the even more obvious false eye spots. :) How cool that it has survived and stayed hidden so well, in the exact same spot where I found him before.

Maybe I Should Look Out the Window More Often

This evening, I went to the sun porch to get something and happened to spot (I think) two deer right in the back yard. I went right back in to get the camera and ran to the window. By that time there was only one in sight. I took the pictures through the window so as not to scare him off.

I wonder what else I've missed over the past few years. :)

On a Brighter Note

Around 8:00 this evening, I went out again to walk the paths (trails?) in the second acre. I startled a deer that took off. I circled around the upper path and toward the corner of our property farthest from the house. There I spotted what appeared to be a doe and a rather large fawn. As I've done before, I stopped and began signing slowly to her--she seemed mesmerized. The two stared back at me watching intently. I only had my cell phone with me. I slowly took it out and snapped a few pictures from quite a distance. I kept moving a little to the left to get a better shot. Then I stopped and turned around, not wanting to scare them...and hoping they'll be more likely to trust me if I encounter them again in the future.

I cropped the pictures, so imagine how far away I really was. Sorry it is blurry, but the memory is clear. ~smile~