Critters and wildlife in your area - post your pics

[Lizbeli]

I found a baby snapping turtle on our walk today. He was in the road close to my house. I had my nice sneakers on and didn’t want to walk through the muddy high grass to get him near the pond. I stopped home and got my boots. Managed to snap a few pics before taking him to the pond.

What a cute little thing. Hopefully he is going to survive and grow into an impressive turtle. I am a big reptile lover so this was exciting for me.

 

[MyBuddy]

Last Sunday my husband and I were sitting on the deck having coffee when I heard a bang and then saw this bird land on the deck! My husband didn't see it right away and wondered what it I was. I had seen him land and cringed as I saw him lay on his back. I told my husband I didn't think he was going to make it. We left him lay there for some time. It took almost an hour but the next thing I looked he was on his feet! I was shocked! I never thought he'd make it. I went back in the house and kind of forgot about him. In fact I came out with Kali and forget about the bird until my husband said something. I quickly grabbed her and put her back in the house. That would have been awful if she got him after he was starting to recover! The bird was pretty still for a long time but on his feet. He actually moved over a little to get out of the Sun. Then I had to leave and I told my husband to watch him. And the dog! When I came back I found out that my husband went out to look at the bird and he suddenly flew away! Couldn't believe it. He must have been out there sitting on the deck for about 3 hours. But he made it! I couldn't believe it. I was really happy. Especially when I first saw him it didn't look good. But I know how it is when you hit your head LOL sometimes you need some time for the cobwebs to go away.

 

[Gpcoguy]

 

[MyBuddy]

Lions, tigers and bears! Nah, luckily we don't have those kind of Critters. Just a little group of bees having a field day in an apple on the ground off my tree.

 

[Gpcoguy]

 

[MyBuddy]

I stopped down by a friend's house to pick up some eggs and she showed me this guy that she found at the bottom of her pond! She was cleaning out leaves. I don't know what he was doing down there underwater. We weren't sure if he was even alive although he moved a little when she nudged him with her toe. I want to say he's beautiful but oh my God he freaked me out a little. Even on my phone! When she nudged him, I jumped and said, don't push him toward me!!! LOL He was pretty big. A little research shows he might be a marbled orb weaver? What do you guys think?

 

[MyBuddy]

And speaking of Critters in your area, these two crazy Critters came over for a visit last weekend. I was working in the garden with Kali when I saw her kind of look around like she heard something. I looked around but I didn't see anything. I thought I heard something but I wasn't sure. I got in my golf cart and we dropped a couple things off in the woods. On my way back, my horses were whinnying and running around. A clear sign that somebody was out. I was hoping it was not a coyote LOL As I grabbed Kali, I can see these two visiting my horses over the fence. Then they took off back toward their house next door. But then suddenly they were coming around the corner again. Of course I pulled off a couple of shots. They went across my property over to the neighbor on the other side. Her horses were out in the pasture so they said hello over the fence to them too. Then they ran back toward my house and looked like they were heading into the wooded area. I ran into my barn to get some grain but by the time I came out they were hightailing it back home. They were just out for a little fun!

I talked to my neighbor today and we talked about it. She feeds each one of her seven horses a bowl full of grain outside of the Corral. She'll take out two or sometimes three horses at a time and tie them in different places. But I guess somebody bumped her on their way out and the gate opened and all seven got out! I said, OMG you know that was trouble! That's a herd! But most of them just went toward where she had placed the Grain and a couple just grazed on the grass but these two mares took off for a little excursion! She said the same thing, that by the time she got a rope and some grain, they were back home. No place like home!

 

[GennyB]

It's absolutely amazing just how many fish just one of these birds can eat!

 

[jazzies mum]

And speaking of Critters in your area, these two crazy Critters came over for a visit last weekend. I was working in the garden with Kali when I saw her kind of look around like she heard something. I looked around but I didn't see anything. I thought I heard something but I wasn't sure. I got in my golf cart and we dropped a couple things off in the woods. On my way back, my horses were whinnying and running around. A clear sign that somebody was out. I was hoping it was not a coyote LOL As I grabbed Kali, I can see these two visiting my horses over the fence. Then they took off back toward their house next door. But then suddenly they were coming around the corner again. Of course I pulled off a couple of shots. They went across my property over to the neighbor on the other side. Her horses were out in the pasture so they said hello over the fence to them too. Then they ran back toward my house and looked like they were heading into the wooded area. I ran into my barn to get some grain but by the time I came out they were hightailing it back home. They were just out for a little fun!

I talked to my neighbor today and we talked about it. She feeds each one of her seven horses a bowl full of grain outside of the Corral. She'll take out two or sometimes three horses at a time and tie them in different places. But I guess somebody bumped her on their way out and the gate opened and all seven got out! I said, OMG you know that was trouble! That's a herd! But most of them just went toward where she had placed the Grain and a couple just grazed on the grass but these two mares took off for a little excursion! She said the same thing, that by the time she got a rope and some grain, they were back home. No place like home!

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Definitely out for a romp! Are they Fjord Ponies?

 

[Ravenbird]

Are they Fjord Ponies

That was what I was going to say!

 

[JanS]

It's absolutely amazing just how many fish just one of these birds can eat!

That's a great shot with the still water and reflection!

 

[GennyB]

That's a great shot with the still water and reflection!

It was taken by my friend when we went to a bird sanctuary. It's a really cool place where the Mississippi and Missouri meet. That area is home to lots of birds and is a great place for pics! The Audubon Center at Riverlands

 

[MyBuddy]

Definitely out for a romp! Are they Fjord Ponies?

That was what I was going to say!

Yes! They usually have a roached Mane but they let it grow out and I'm wondering if they're just keeping it for the winter. (Warmer?) It's actually the first time he's let it grow out like that.

 

[JanS]

They usually have a roached Mane but they let it grow out and I'm wondering if they're just keeping it for the winter.

Ah-ha... I was trying to pinpoint what looked different about them than your other photos, but that's it. I think they look better like this.

 

[MyBuddy]

Ah-ha... I was trying to pinpoint what looked different about them than your other photos, but that's it. I think they look better like this.

I guess I can take it either way. Except to me the Fjord horse always is known for its roached Mane. And some get rather decorative!



Without it, it just reminds me of a Haflinger with dark coloring.

 

[Gpcoguy]

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[MyBuddy]

Just a little back story on the roads around our house. If you are coming to my house, you would be on a two-lane Highway going 55 miles an hour or higher if you choose LOL Its not high traffic but fast traffic. And then you would turn, (only one way to turn) onto a paved road thats traveled very little, mainly by the neighborhood. About a mile down from that road you would turn into a gravel road which is the one in front of our home.

I tell you all that so you can sort of understand what I came upon the day I was coming home from town. I was on the two-lane Highway coming to that paved road to make my turn. Coming to my turn, I see two dogs! A black labrador type dog and a large Pit Bull type dog. They both were trying to cross the two lane Highway to go onto the same road I was going to turn onto. My heart was in my throat as I saw another car approaching from the opposite direction. The Pitbull crossed the road. The black one thankfully acted like he knew he should wait. I was stopped, waiting for the car to pass so I can make my turn and talking to myself saying, "stay right there! Don't move, stay there." Talking to the Pitbull but mainly to myself I guess because I'm sure he couldn't hear me! lol But because I was stopped, he acted like he was going to come over to me... with this car coming towards us down the road! You know how that is in those split seconds? You think, should I get out of the car to kind of flag down and slow down the oncoming car? Or should I honk? What the hell should I do?

Well, both dogs pretty much stayed where they were, the car passed me and I made my turn. The dogs looked so friendly! They were all over my car and in this few seconds video you will laugh as I talk to them. But all I wanted them to do was to follow me to get them away from that entrance to the highway and speeding cars! And they did! I rolled down the window and was talking to them telling them come on! let's go! and as I moved they followed.

I quickly took a picture of them and sent them to my friend and then called her. The black lab actually looked like her mother-in-law's dog. Plus her son's dog was lost recently and they put it on Facebook and found it very quickly. Even though they looked by themselves for three hours! So my first thought was that! I thought Who the hell's dogs were these and let's find the owners. I told her I was going to get out of the car to check their collars and she said, with the Pitbull!? LOL I said, yeah, I'm usually a little nervous around them but he looked so friendly I was not afraid. As we drove the short distance to the first farm-house, a woman came out with a little girl and she was calling the dogs! I yelled to her and said, Are they yours? and she said yes. I said, " both of them?" and she said yes. I said okay great! But you have to know that they were out on the Highway! Scared the crap out of me. She thanked me and I went on home. Still on the phone with my friend I was rattling on and on still excited about everything that just happened! The adrenaline was running high! LOL and I think this was the same day that my neighbors horses got out. So it was a critter-filled day!

 

[Gpcoguy]

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[JanS]

A grouse in our flowering crab.

 

[jazzies mum]

This pelican is waiting for his meal to arrive at his feet!