More VERMIN pics ...

'Chipper' pics .. Think they may know something, that we don't ? ... Pic #2

This lil feller can't possibly 'cram' any more in those cheeks! Haint no more room !!! HEE


This message was edited Nov 21, 2004 8:11 AM

'Chipper' pics .. Think they may know something, that we don't ? ... Pic #3

Geez, he's bustin' at the seams already !! ...


This message was edited Nov 21, 2004 8:12 AM

'Chipper' pics .. Think they may know something, that we don't ? ... Pic #4

.. Gonna set & rest a spell now ..

Their antics keep me in 'stitches' ... I jes love these little boogers!
Nary a dull moment ...


This message was edited Nov 21, 2004 8:13 AM

Magpye
Beautiful pictures.

.. Thank you gumlla ... very much.

Thanks magpye.

Ah, any time .. heehee

Magpye I'm sure glad you own a camera! :D

Me too!! .. (heehee) .. That was so sweet Lilypon ..
I don't think any of us would give up our cam'ras - willingly, anyway !! .hee

Woodpeckers - we get red-bellied woodpeckers around here. They're fun to watch. Funny about the name...you'd think they'd have a red belly, huh? Not so.

This message was edited Aug 24, 2004 11:04 AM

How cute Magpye!
And they called me chipmunk cheeks in middle school! :-( I guess I did have round cheeks.

Very nice shot hc !!

We've got the Red-Bellys' also ..
One, in particular (a juvey this Spring) - we'd nik-named him 'Alfalpha' .. for he's got a couply feathers that stick right strait up on the top of his head!! And then when they do that 'dunkin' type thing with their head and body, when they're making a call .. just cracks me up! I've got a few pics of them, but nuffin to rant about .. hee

But they do have a wee lil 'very faint' patch of red on their bellies tho'. I've never been able to fetch a pic to document it .. but, have seen it while spyballin' 'em! LIke you figger maybe - that they should've been properly named, the Red 'headed' also ... but, I reckon that 'title' was already 'taken' !! hee

sweez .. no doubt, that it was only because they luv'd ya so much .. and, for any that it may have seemed it wasn't (from love) .. just a good possibility that those, jes didn't have an inklin' to realize it .. at the time! .. ha ..

This message was edited Aug 24, 2004 11:00 AM

This message was edited Aug 24, 2004 11:01 AM

Gosh doggit .. we need usn's a Spell Check! A lil somethin' that we can 'tap' into right chere!! ... heeheee

Yeah ... I know I could go do like some other folks and use Word or Works, etc., to type it up, and
get it all purtee and 'just so-so' for posting ... But, goin' that route .. takes a mite too long, removes that
effervescent spontaneous effect .. and just sortee takes away the 'fear factor' too .. when you realize you
left out a couply somewhat 'portant words and miz-pell'd a whole ton of 'em!

Besides, we're cheatin' ourselves out of some mitey wonderful giggles .. when we go
read 'em again .. long after they've been previewed & posted already!!! .. LOL ..

This message was edited Aug 24, 2004 11:14 AM

Really enjoy your pictures Magpye. Thank you for taking the time to share with us. Please never stop.

Thank you so much Tplant ...

Mag, do you ever send any of your pics to Birds and Bloom magazine? They sure would love them. They are fantastic.

Thank you hemlady ... a very sweet gesture.
Ahh, who knows .. Maybe one day ...

Magpye:

Love your critters, especially the woodpeckers and chipmunks. I noticed a chipmunk one day that had made tunnels all thru my bulbs (good thing I love them) and it had the weirdest looking tail. Got out my binoculars-it looks like a bunny tail. And to make it even more unusual-it hops instead of running!!
Looked out the other week to see her out there with four babies-guess she brought them to visit my (?) bulbs. None of them had bunny tails-just regular little chipm tails and they scurry like chipmunks are supposed to. Even love their names.
Wish i had a digital camera, I'd take a picture of my hopping chmunk.
Wish I could sit on your front porch with you. We'd have a ball!! Jay (smooth)

Wha, thank ye very much, smooth ...

Those bunnies do like to get into the softer dirt and mulch in our flower beds, to build their nests too!

I, personally, have never found that they do any real harm to anything .. ehh, other than a wee little snippet here, there and about .. But, chances are, it prob'ly needed pruning anyway - and they just saved me the trouble .. hee hee

I've said that .. but now, may need to retract the part about doing any damage ...
Not directly to the garden, bulbs or flowers, etc. mindja - but more, indirectly .. to me!
Ya ever had a bunny to induce a near heart attack? hee hee

The 2nd Spring here at our new property and home .. and after we finally managed to get some beds constructed and planted - - totally unbeknownst to me, a momma bunny had got into one of my flower beds and built herself a nest! It wasn't until one particularly warm summery day .. that I'd figgered I'd best get my fanny in gear, and get some water to the flowers. While holding the end of the water hose, and just spraying ever so nonchalantly .. to get plenty water down and into the roots of the plants in the bed - - the mulch and earth began to move! Moving up in such a way, that I immediately got to thinking that the only possible explanation is, that I've done rawled up a doggone snake!!

I stepped back a bit, fetched myself a rake I had laying nearby .. and was progressing to raise it up in such a way to pound whatever may finally poke its head out, from under the mulch! This up and down movement of the mulch continued for a wee spell .. all of, far too long .. that the snake should be showin' his ugly tresspassin' self soon.

I finally laid the water hose down, and positioned myself ready to inflict the rapid blow of wrath upon my flower bed invader. While still sorta kneeling close to the ground, my heart was racing now .. considering that I'd already reminded myself, that I probably 'still' couldn't hit the broadside of a barn, if I tried - and that this beast is taking its lowly time to come on out and show its face!!

The ground starts to heave up a bit more into a wee taller pile of mulch and bark shavings ... I'm ready to pound, beat, and kill! Then, just as I'm about to swing forward ... the wee t-ninciet little furry noses start poking through the mulch .. And I realized ever so quickly, that the poor little bunnie babies were coming up - for 'air' !! Me with my water hose was apparently about to drown 'em all, right there in the 'supposed' safety of their nest!!

Needless to say .. I turned the water hose off .. and, being a woman .. I started to do that cry/laughter mixture thing ... and then commenced to trying my level best to delicately give them more room for air to breathe! Went from utter fear to shear delight in what seemed mere seconds .. and from a premeditatin' killer to saver of bunnies even shorter. Knew not to risk touching them with my bare hands, so I grabbed a dead flower stem, and starting to help move the heavy mulch out of their way! About 5 of the most adorably huggable little bunny babies came poppin' their heads up .. then without any fear displayed, turned and looked at me .. just as if to say .. "what the heck ya tryin' to do to us?" .. Another few seconds later a couple of them sorta got moved over a bit, and yet another little head popped up - but he was just about completely drenched!! I reckon he was on the very bottom of the deck in the nest hole .. and had to strain and fight to get on up out of the water that was probably getting deeper in the hole .. and up thru and past his other siblings .. to fetch a lil dose of air!

Needless to say, the dry ground finally absorbed the excess water .. and they ducked back down into their nest .. and lived the continuation with no further threat from the water hose-packin'-bunny-drownin' lunatict!!

The greater thrill was when we finally witnessed seeing their Momma come .. and she eventually started bringing them out of the nest ever so often. Mostly early mornin' or early evenin' .. to play and frolic in the yard. With us 'up' on the front porch .. we apparently, posed no threat what so ever .. They'd jerk, jump into the air, and jump and pounce over one another constantly. Never a dull moment for a couple of weeks here. Feel certain, that it was the same lil momma that continued to build her nests in several of my flower beds several different times, for the next two or three years after that ... The last couple of years, I've failed to find hide nor hair of any hint of her or any bunnies .. nesting any more tho'.

And to think, I was about to slaughter their wonderful existence .. and deprive ourselves of some most wonderful entertainment - all for the sake of undue and unwarranted 'fear'

- Magpye

This message was edited Jan 12, 2005 3:25 PM

Smooth .. ya jes gonna 'haff ta' break down and fetch yaseff a digital, I tell ya ...

There is nuthin' like spotting some thing like your lil vermin there .. and just simply grabbin' your digital and snappin' what ever and how many ever shots ya care to .. Then being able to weed out the ones that aren't all 'so-so' to suit you ... and then, taking that wonderful plunge of posting them here .. for all the rest of us no-counters (heehee) .. to see, spy-ball, oogle, feast, and 'ooo & ahhh' over!! .. hee hee ..

If you guys are like us (along with the larger portion of the country) .. our seedlin's of a crop of money trees don't always ripen to suit us .. (let alone, the seeds even sproutin') ... But, if and when the opportunity ever presents itself to do so ... getcha one!

Not only for critter-pitter and flower-power takin' .. but it's a most wonderful tool for documenting your family, and all the goings' on associated to yours and their lives! Would be a mighty worthy and wonderful investment ...

Oh Mags, you really tell a great story!!!! You had me holding my breath 'till that last bunny surfaced. Thanks for sharing your great pictures and your wonderful way with words, bless your heart.
Pati

You are right about the digital. Wonder which bill not to pay. HMMMM.

Seriously though, no one really believes I have a bunny chipmunk-or is it a chip-bunny? Must get a digital.

Magpye: My hubby ran over a bunny hole with the lawnmower when we first moved in. My bunny loving hubby sat in a daze on the front porch for two hrs afterward. He felt so bad. Glad your bunny family made it!!
Jay

Your choice, smooth! Go digital asap!

Yep .. I know I'm sure wishing 'I' could see this here
new-fangled critter you're tellin' about!! heee
I just can't imagine such ..

(hee) A 'new' species: a bunnmunk .. or .. a chipnny .. (hee)
Whichever, or whatever - We'll understand one another another just fine!

I do know that we've got a lil chipper (think he's one of the older & wiser ones)
that runs around here ... and he's managed to lose some of his tail. It's not
completely gone mindja, but enuff so ... that he's got somewhat of 'stubbiness'
that remains, of a tail. hee I've long called him, 'Bobtail' ...

Speakin' of which, got a squirrel too .. that looks like his tail may have had a
'run in' with a vehicles fan blades .. or, something ... For he sure appears to have
very wee little 'fluff' left to it. Something had got a hold of him at some point some
where .. for even the very end of the skin/bone has 'scarred' over .. into a round
'ball'. Dangest lookin' liltte varmint tho' ..

My hubby said that it's not uncommon for the squirrels to get so awful and raggity
lookin' .. when it's mating season. I just happen to find it mighty peculiar that this
one .. is the only one that looks like his tail has been thru the proverbial 'wringer' ..
I mean to tell ya, that he looks like he/she's been in one dandy little scrap with
something far more fe-rocious than any other 'tuffer' squirrel!! heehee

I've taken some pics of him .. but he's always on the other side of our little front yard,
and keeps himself, rather 'guarded' and hid .. either behind a small stump we use for
a 'stool' to reach the log bird feeder .. or the feeders pole! It's just really very difficult
to tell the 'tail' (injury) in the pics! (ha, a funny!)

There's just really no tellin' what any other bigger or 'badder' varmint .. that these
wee smaller or shorter critters have to deal with. We're right smack dab in the middle,
of heavily tree'd woods. We've seen fox, bear, feral hogs, coon, and bobcat .. all .. from
just sitting on either of our porches.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geez, even the wood rat poses one nasty adversary .. for most any other varmint!

I do know that just one .. sure put some whompus-kitty hurt onto our lil dog and his sis,
when they were wee pups! They were 'big' enuff to think they ruled the roost .. and were
intent on local gang control round the place here. We'd heard the barking, growling, and
racket of both the pups, under the back porch one night .. and figgered they'd done corned
another possumor an dang'd armadillo. Just hoped liked the dickens, that they'd not opted to
take on any skunk! I'd long been dreading any such confrontation! They were really raisin'
some kind of cane ..

It wasn't long, till we heard a few thumps .. associated to some gosh awful squeals .. and, that ..
got us a bit more 'concerned' .. as to just what in tarnation could they have possibly be tanglin' with!
I mean, what on earth .. could possibly cause that kind of horrific racket .. up against the concrete
block wall of the foundation!

We opted to fetch a flashlight and the shot gun (for a safety measure) .. and proceed on out, and to
the back porch. We've never gotten around to putting up the rails along the side of it, yet - so, I proceeded
to go over to the high-end of the porch .. while hubby headed in the direction to go down the back steps
to the ground. I'd already layed down on my belly on the floor, and proceeded to lean way over .. in order
to 'see' up under the porch. And, yep, my imagination was already kicked well into 'overdrive' by now! ..

'Bout that time, there's another big bump/thump takes place and another even worse squeal and a long
whine .. and the lil gal pup comes out from under the porch just below where I was leaning over the porch
edge. Hubby'd not quite made it down to the ground yet .. and when we heard that thumpin' again ... wellllll,
hubby swears up and down, that he didn't 'jump' .. but he did. Actually, he dove .. back up onto the porch!
He just won't ever fess up that it scared the gosh dog fire out of him .. just as much as it did me!! hee hee

I still felt somewhat relatively 'safe' in my perch on the porch .. and hanging and danglin' over from it, well up high
enuff .. it'd have to be somewhat of one good tall or long leg'd booger to get me (so I'd hoped, anyway!)
Meanwhile the lil gal pup had done went back under the porch.. but only a lil ways .. she kept sorta 'under' me
for some reason. But just kept on barkin' and making little quick-like dives under there .. and back .. even quicker!

The hubby handed me the flashlight .. and progressed to 'suggesting' to me .. to lean way over and shine that
flashlight under there .. so's to see what in blasted goodness is under there! I ready'd up, got a firm hold of the
porch with one hand and the flashlight with the other .. and leaned just as far as my little squatty-body'd let me ..
and shined the beam of light where I thought it sounded like the pups and the booger was.

Lord have mercy .. I liked to have gotten knocked out cold .. by my own my little p'nut pup .. being chunked and tossed .. right at my head! Po little ol dog hit the ground some kind of hard, but was back up and in for the the umpteenth round. During this short little span of time .. (and, after I re-cooped some sense about myself) - I shined
the flashlight once more under the porch. And there, I saw it! I started to trying to tell my hubby, thru the gurglin'
racket that my mouth was spitting out from being practically upside down .. that "It's a marmot .. no, some kind of strange dark colored possum .. mmm, geez, what in heavens name is this thang?" .. I continued to try to see, all
the while p'nut pup was still trying to go at him .. And the both of them (the lil sis pup would give the booger another snarl and a grab, only every once in a while) .. were givin' this booger some of their best growls, pounces, yanks,
and bites! The poor pups was getting some kind of beaten and battered about tho' ..

Finally .. with after trying to get them to come away just a for a second or two .. to enable the booger to maybe
get still long enuff and me shine the light .. and try to actually identify this thing - did I realize that he haint got any
hair on his tail. Just completely barren of the stuff. I relayed that to the hubby .. and he decided that it must be a
big ol rat of some kind! I thought to mahseff .. 'duh', ya reckon?! .. hee hee ...

He again, suggested to me .. to whistle and try my dangest to keep the pups out of the way AND keep the
flashlight shinin' on this thang .. while he goes down the steps to the ground .. and will try to get a shot off
into this beast! During his step down, I shined the light over on the pups .. and they were both just about
straggled and hopelessly whooped out .. from their battles with this hefty sized booger! But they seen the ol
coot comin' down and they lept (rather walked quickly) .. back under the porch, with somewhat of a whole-hearted attempt at intending to-hep-mighty-dog attitude ... but, geez, they were just plum tuckered. Needless to say, they'd done just about lost every bit of energy and fight they'd ever dreamed they'd have! heehee .. So, it didn't really
take too much for me to keep them backed off of the booger, and out of (any further) harms way. Then ...
KABOOOOM went the 12 gauge! It's over now ...

Talk about two lil ('dogs', now!) .. that all of sudden came alive with excitement?!? .. They pounced back under the porch with such prowess and power! They each, for whatever reason .. opted to resound one more 'baaaaad' growl and put an even more 'fee-rocious' bite into the hide of that dead wood rat! Then, came back from under the porch .. and we shined the flashlight .. on the both of them, this time. Good-ness gracious .. were they some kind of mangled up. They both had some gosh awful tears to their ears and their lips were ripped and peices danglin' down, and a whole slew of scraps, bite wounds and lacerations .. just about covering their entire lil 'brave' bodies!

This had been one very very large wood rat!! I've seen many a big nutria back down south in Louisiana ..
but I tell ya .. this sucker was much larger, and a mite heap more powerful and for dang'd sure more of the
nastiest and meanest booger vermin than any we'd ever seen. Even a possum can put up one dirty fight . and
he'd only 'fink' out (play possom), when that's the only way out of the situation! But this thang .. didn't back
down for nuthin'!

We were just mitey proud of these lil dawgs .. for altho' they got the whompus-kitty put on them ... and
most horrificly so - - they sure stayed their ground and hung in for the long haul. Heck, they totin' the scars
to prove it .. P'nut's still got his and then some!

:-)

Mags, you could put a little different spin on that great story and it would make a wonderful little children's book! I really hope you have "hard copy" of these tales, it would be a shame to lose them.
Pati

You're so sweet patischell .. and yep, I do .. basically ..
Now, whar'd ah put that wee brain .. I jes had it!! .. LOL ..

You really should write a book Magpye. I've read many a book and I work at reference in a library.....you *do* tell a story well!!

Magpye, that was a terrific story! Thanks so much for telling it :-) And although it's a thing of the past, you just hafta give your doggies an extra pat from me for all their tiny puppy bravery. :-)

-Julie

A couple of deer at the salt stump just a sling-shot distance from our house/front porch ...

One more of the deer @ the salt stump ...

Do you have a "mineral feeder" set out for those guys? That is a cool idea, if ya'll do!

Yup .. we sure do imway ...
We try to keep a block of mineral salt there for them. Occasionally, we put some molasses out also.
hee hee ..

And, just a few weeks ago .. we opted to put 'em a jar of peanut butter upon a nearby tree too !!! hee ..
Of course, the squirrels have taken a likin' to it too ... The deer get first dibbs tho' .. If any squirrels try
to get to it, while the deer are there - they'll run the squirrels back up the tree!

The deer like peanut butter and molasses? Me too! Deer chasing squirrels, bet thats funny to watch.

I kid you not .. the deer will lay their ears back .. and just honch their heads over at the squirrels ..
Just can't manage to get a pic of them while at it ...

Yep, and later on into the fall .. we'll chunk out some whole corn for the turkey .. (and the squirrels, crows, and doves .. seem to think it's for them) .. When the turkeys do come up and find the corn, the turkey are constantly making wild jumps and doing acrobatics in
the air .. at and toward the rest of the vermin .. in an attempt.. to run them off from the corn goodies!

Will try to get around to posting some of those such pics soon ... But, a still image just doesn't quite do proper justice to it all tho' .. as, to seeing them and getting it on shortee video!! hee hee .. It's truly some wonderfully delightful antics we witness .. especially in late fall/winter and early Spring .. !!

Post 'um anyway my imagination will take care of the rest. :-)

P'nut found this ol sly booger .. over near our water tank .. last year! ...

P'nut kept the booger at bay, until he managed to get us called outside .. for us to see what he was making such a ruckus over. For the distinct noise this joker was making, along with his antics .. sure had ol P'nut fooled for a wee spell!

These particular crawlies, have a way of mimicking a rattlesnakes' rattle ... but keep their tails sortee hid from sight. So, as not to 'tell off' on themselves !!

The 'rattle' he was making, was no where near as eerily resonating as the Timbers .. and, seemed to be coming from the opposite end - the front! They can make their mouths 'click' to sound just like a rattler! By golly, and it worked too .. That is, until P'nut realized that this here'un .. wasn't tryin' to do any head strikes! P'nut calmed down a good bit when he went around to check out that head end .. and the Hog-Nosed went to puffin' up and broadening out the sides of his head/neck. Weeelll, I can just almost swear to goodness, that I heard the ol P'nut give a good 'dawg' chuckle!! Musta been when he realized this ol booger was just a big ol 'wanna-be' ... But, some mitey good imitatin' .. if'n ya ask me!

We put P'nut back on his chain .. and he settled on down .. realizin' the Hog-Nosed was no threat! And the ol snake went on his merry way, to wherever. We figgered he was after all the frogs we'd been seeing round the place then.

We learned a bit later, that the Hog-Nosed is a bit in danger too .. and need to be protected. Their numbers are decreasing rapidly, because folks will kill them so quickly ... because of 'fear' .. and the snakes ability to mimick the Rattlers racket! Kill .. than examine closely later! Mmmm, tis a shame. They keep our rhodent population in check.

However, they all know not to bother the chippers ... The 'munk-munks' are off-limits, see ... !
( ... Shhhh, don't go bustin' my bubbles here now! ... )

Hog-Nosed Snake . . . Pic #1

Hog-Nosed Snake . . . Pic #2

Hog-Nosed Snake . . . Pic #3

Bet'cha caint tell I'm a bit nervous here .. can ye ?!? .. (yeah, right!) .. LOL

Hog-Nosed Snake . . . Pic #4