Critters and wildlife in your area - post your pics

[MyBuddy]

Well, he's back. And this time I think both Kali and I stepped over him coming down into my barn. Because I didn't see this (in the picture) until we were heading back up the stairs. Kali didn't see him right away and was sniffing the air as if she smelled something. I know she's terrified of them. Thank God, really. So I didn't want her to get too close. By the time I was trying to take a picture he had picked up his head and Kali saw him move. She made a beeline out the other door LOL I had to chase him out of the barn once again. But I think if he's ever back again I may leave him for a while. Just have to watch the dog and my husband LOL don't really want Kali getting too close even though I know she won't. But it may be by mistake, like it was when we walked down the stairs. And my husband? I'm afraid he might kill it. If I'm around, he'll call me because he knows I will pick it up with my handy dandy snake catcher and relocate it. But honestly, I think he's a little afraid of snakes. And I wouldn't want him killing it.

But the thing is, since both times I've seen this snake on the stairs, I think he's looking for mice. There is a little opening in the concrete on the side of the stairs. I know Kali has been over there many times acting as if she's found something. So he's probably sitting there waiting for a mouse to come out and that would be fine. So we'll see!

 

[MyBuddy]

Our daughter was in for the holiday weekend and she told me about an app called Merlin. It listens for the sound of birds and will identify it. Even though I can identify most of the birds I hear out here by sight and sound I thought it would be interesting. Yesterday I opened the app and within less than one minute I got all these birds.



The yellow line is just the most recent bird that it heard.

Might be fun for some people to identify the birds in their area.

 

[JanS]

Our daughter was in for the holiday weekend and she told me about an app called Merlin. It listens for the sound of birds and will identify it. Even though I can identify most of the birds I hear out here by sight and sound I thought it would be interesting.

Wow I might have to look that up! There are some birds that don't come up to the house so I'm not sure what they all are.

 

[MyBuddy]

Wow I might have to look that up! There are some birds that don't come up to the house so I'm not sure what they all are.

You're going to have to share! LOL I was just out in the barn and I turned it on and besides the robin, which is a common sound around here, ring-tailed pheasant came up! I was surprised with that!

 

[MyBuddy]

I found this laying on the grass during my walk with Kali.

 

[MyBuddy]

Wow I might have to look that up! There are some birds that don't come up to the house so I'm not sure what they all are.

Did you download it yet? I'm telling you, it's a lot of fun! When she first told me about it, I thought, Oh well, I know most of the birds here. HA! I forgot about the ones off in the distance that I may never see! I'm catching a lot of birds I didn't even know we had! Or ones that I had mistaken for another! Just today it said a Red Shoulder Hawk! Wow! It's a lot of fun!

 

[JanS]

Did you download it yet?

Not yet. I had to come back and look what it was called. There are even some at the airport that we don't have here since I suppose we're wooded here and it's open fields there so it would be interesting.

 

[Gpcoguy]

 

[GennyB]

app called Merlin

I downloaded a couple months ago. I noticed lots of bird songs on our new property that I wasn't sure i recognized. My friend helping me with my medicinal garden told me about. I've been having fun with it!

 

[JanS]

I downloaded a couple months ago.

I downloaded it today when there were a bunch of birds singing. When I walked outside to try it they all shut up except some Purple Finches. LOL

 

[Gpcoguy]

 

[JanS]

I took the phone out with me this morning and got a few birds.

 

[GennyB]

I downloaded it today when there were a bunch of birds singing. When I walked outside to try it they all shut up except some Purple Finches. LOL

That happens every once in awhile. I also noticed if there is some background noise it struggles to identify the birds.
I was at my old house and the waterfall really threw it off.
I am amazed at the difference in the birds at my 2 houses. There a few at my new house I had never heard of.

 

[Ravenbird]

I'm seeing on these screen shots "Best Matches". So does that mean that one of those birds is what it's hearing, not all 4 or 5? And it's up to you to identify what may be in the trees somewhere? Or is the app hearing ALL those birdsongs and the pictured bird is the best match for each one?

 

[GennyB]

Or is the app hearing ALL those birdsongs and the pictured bird is the best match for each one?

This ^^^ is the way I understand it. From what I have seen it's pretty accurate because I actually look for the birds it hears. Somes I think background noise can interfere and trip it up. Like when the dog barks.....

 

[JanS]

Or is the app hearing ALL those birdsongs and the pictured bird is the best match for each one?

That's the way I understand it too. Yesterday there was so darn much traffic on the road that it drowned out a lot of the bird songs.

 

[MyBuddy]

I have a question about my little Wren in her birdhouse. We are 90° with a 87° dew point. Really sultry. Several years ago when I first put it up, it was in the Sun and I didn't even think about how hot it would be in there until I saw her standing with her face out the hole and her beak open! Almost like she was panting. I quickly moved it into what shade we had at the time. Over the years the trees have grown and almost connected together so that the canopy provides a lot more shade. There are times that it's in the Sun but not much. But still. It's freaking hot out. How hot do you think it is in there? I mean can the babies survive in the heat? I'm tempted to make another hole but I don't know if that's the best idea. It would have to be small like the other one so that no other birds can get in there but would it be beneficial to put a small hole on the opposite end for a little cross-breeze? I can't imagine it being very comfortable in there. On days like today it really bothers me thinking that it's too hot in there. Of course if there's babies in there I don't think I can even do anything about that now anyway. Maybe for next year? Any thoughts?

 

[JanS]

How hot do you think it is in there?

If it's mostly shaded it's probably not much hotter than it would be in a regular nest they make in the woods.

I'm tempted to make another hole but I don't know if that's the best idea.

It would probably help the airflow but it would probably also let more rain and other things in when the wind could blow it in better. I think a better suggestion might be to paint it white so it doesn't absorb much heat.

One minute of listening to birds from our dining room this morning.

 

[MyBuddy]

would probably help the airflow but it would probably also let more rain and other things in when the wind could blow it in better. I think a better suggestion might be to paint it white so it doesn't absorb much heat.

Yeah I thought about that too as far as the rain. But painting it white may be an option. My sister gave me that and she bought it from somebody who did them as a hobby and sold them. I'm sure she wouldn't mind. LOL Maybe at least painting it white would make me feel better about the poor little guys inside.

 

[MyBuddy]

One minute of listening to birds from our dining room this morning

Oooo. Interesting! I never heard of a ovenbird! And your hairy woodpecker look very similar to our downy woodpecker. Everything else I think I've seen. We have some kind of 'thrush' bird too I can't remember the full name. But I think it's a difference looking bird. Really cool see all the different types of birds in all the different areas!