Nature & Wildlife Thread

[mrsclem]

So, after all the rain and flooding, we saw a groundhog in the yard. They had a burrow in the hillside above the ponds but thought we had it blocked off. Set 2 live traps baited with melon. Nothing for 3 days. Then today I check and have 2 large raccoons in one trap! Not something I want around the ponds so they now have a new home 2 miles from here. The water celery in my bog has disappeared so will repair traps near bog and see if I can't find the other critter!

 

[corgi]

So, after all the rain and flooding, we saw a groundhog in the yard. They had a burrow in the hillside above the ponds but thought we had it blocked off. Set 2 live traps baited with melon. Nothing for 3 days. Then today I check and have 2 large raccoons in one trap! Not something I want around the ponds so they now have a new home 2 miles from here. The water celery in my bog has disappeared so will repair traps near bog and see if I can't find the other critter!

I also live trap and relocate. Snapping turtles to raccoons. I read that it's best to relocate raccoons at least 10 miles away or they will find
their way back. Half that for snapping turtles.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

The Root River.

 

[Burd]

I have a ground hog that lives behind my shed, he’s fine,I like seeing him around. He comes to my squirrel feeder sometimes, I sneak out ad scratch his back. It’s a game now. Lol.

 

[mrsclem]

Anybody notice a big increase in hummingbirds? Since the tropical storm hit here, we now are getting 15-20 birds at the feeders at a time. They don't like us out there working on the drain install, guess we are interrupting their meals. Cooking up at least a gallon of nectar a day.

 

[addy1]

We have our normal small amount, some years a lot some years not as many.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Cooking up at least a gallon of nectar a day.

Seems like a lot of work. Just gotta plant a bunch of their favorite native plants!

 

[mrsclem]

We have the butterfly garden as well as nectar plants everywhere. Feeders are in front of our bay window as cat tv!

 

[Burd]

I never get any.

 

[Burd]

I saw this fungi tonight watering

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I saw this fungi tonight watering View attachment 133243

I think that's the same stuff I get periodically on our mulch - I refer to it as 'grody ground fungus'. The first time I saw it I was wondering which dog barfed up something *really* nasty in the yard!

 

[addy1]

I finally saw some monarch cats! Have not seen one butterfly all summer. They are inhaling the milkweed. I have some that comes back every summer, volunteer plants.

 

[Burd]

My milkweeds I planted ( around 20 plants) didn’t survive I guess. I don’t see any. I did see a monarch the other day.

 

[mrsclem]

Most of my plants are black from all the aphids. Getting a few monarchs and we were able to save about 2 dozen caterpillars from the hungry birds.

 

[Burd]

When you want weeds you can’t get them. Maybe my lawn guy sprayed my plants.