Let's see your yard critters

I was working over by my mango tree yesterday and came across these two. I've had turtles living in my year for several years although I don't usually see them together. They're Florida box turtles and their life span can exceed 100 years!! Their population in the wild is decreasing rapidly and it’s recommended that you don’t take them captive. These two were eating small mangos that had fallen to the ground. I rescued two of these guys from my pool skimmer -- one this year and one last year (hope it wasn't the same one, LOL)!! Those poor fellows -- who knows how long they had to swim to stay afloat before I saved them! I always enjoy encountering them when I'm working in the yard.

Here's one of the guys by a mango.... you'd be surprised at how fast they can travel. They pretty much whip across the yard.

They are beautiful! I'm sorry to hear that they are deminishing in numbers, but I'm sure it has to do with us decreasing their habitat. I'm glad you are there for them.

Hi: Loved your pictures of the turles. We live in TN and have the eastern box up here. The jerks around here run over them if they are in the road. We usually stop and put them on the side of the road in the direction they are traveling. We have them on our property. Have 32 mostly wood acres. Found several shells and figure that a raccoon had a meal off them. We put shallow pans with water out in the woods for them. Several times have come up on them during the high heat of summer and turtles have been in the water. You might consider doing the same. Bet they would crawl in. Had a box turtle in VA for 5 or 6 yrs. in our backyard. He ate canned dog food, all types of fruit, bread, snails, slugs, rollypollys, etc. Had his own water dish and hibernated in the thick mulch under an azalea bush. When my husband was transferred with the Navy to TN, took Grouchy to a navy installation and left him in the woods near a water source. I really miss him to this day. Liz

Atlanta - I found a critter called a Least Shrew in my yard. I was watering and this little guy ran up a nearby pine tree. I had never heard of this animal before, much less knew they were living in my garden...

These pix are not great but I was fumbling to get a shot before it ran off and I just had to get a pix for an ID... someone on the Dave's ID forum identified it and then I found this link with better pix:

http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordLandingES/Ecology/mpages/least_shrew.htm

What are those little black bubbly things on his hiny?

water - where I hit him with the spray - I didn't know he was even there. I use a spray wand and stick it down under the plants to make the most of my precious water in this drought - and he came barreling out!

Here is a real cutie I found yesterday - It pays to see who is looking back at you. This little critter in standing on a Lady-In-Red hydrangea flower, the body is about 3/4" long. I love the expression!!!!

I can't say I'm a shrew fan but I really like those 'stick' bugs.

I had this visitor last year an my patio of all places. he stayed until the end of the summer. I am hoping he comes back!!

I wish I had a picture of the huge bull frog that was in my garage a few weeks ago. I've never seen one so big. I also had a turtle laying eggs in my vegetable garden (ants got them) and I had a HUGE possum on the rails of the garage door during a severe storm. Scared my poor husband half to death. I'll make sure to have camera attached to me just forthese occurrences.

We get these huge frogs that stick to walls -- they have like sucker feet and they like to stick up on vertical surfaces. I've never had a camera handy when I see one but they are about the size of a saucer and very ugly! We have possums too -- I'd be a bit afraid of them myself!!

My yard wouldn't seem right without my natural pest control, the anoles, skinks and garter snake!

X

Just tree frogs in Melb.Bch. They can grow pretty big...one of my kids had a friend who went totally crazy when she would go out the screen and one would fall in her hair....had another daughter who named them and made sure they had cool houses...they do seem to hang around the same place like the lizards.

As for that snake....do you have a pond...does it eat your fish...im having a terrible time....dont mind the snake unless it makes a surprise apperance or comes ANYWHERE near the pool when im in it.

Great thread! This is Margaret - don't know why, that's what my DH named her. She is pregnant (we watched - snake porn?) and likes to sunbathe on one of our large landscaping boulders. She doesn't even move when we come near. Our (almost four year old) granddaughter discovered her sunbathing when she was visiting a couple of weeks ago. Neither of them batted an eyelash. (Well, Margaret couldn't, having no eyelashes to bat.)

oh Xeramtheum!!! I had to look and look to see the lizard in your photo #1 - great shot and you have a great eye for composition!

Please post a bigger pix of that one...

Why thank you! It was taken with my old digital camera so the resolution is not that good.

X

Thanks! that is a keeper - I love the lazy lizard's 'just basking in the sun' expression but I also love the way his body contours to the plant. Very nice shot.

Why, Ceejay! I'm blushing!

Ceejay, I've known my garter snake for a few years now .. He'll come slithering up to me about a foot away and watch me if I'm digging in the dirt .. he loves earthworms and gobbles em up as fast as I can find them. I've also noticed a black snake coming around lately .. I've seen him eating rats so he's a keeper .. the only problem is that black snakes can have a really bad attitude and will literally chase you if ticked off. I had one that lived under my house in Virginia that wouldn't let me into my garden. A snakey friend from florida came to visit and he caught him and we relocated him across a river. Hopefully this one won't need an attitude adjustment.

In the winter the anoles and skinks in my greenhouse don't hibernate and keep it almost free of bugs .. I love my critters!

X

X - I think Margaret "knows" us too. She sure seems to feel safe here. She has an ouchy about 2/3 way down her body where something must have got her. I sure hope she's not in pain.

We have anoles and skinks and geckos, too. Although I think the snakes are getting some of the anoles and skinks. Not nearly as many as in the past. What's a person to do? I worry about the toads and frogs too.

I am having to watch every single step I take in the yard. There are literally hundresds of baby frogs. I feel inclined to purchase a toad house before I vacation.

This little guy (R.I.P.) and a number of his friends (R.I.P.) are unhappy with my gardening... because I keep finding them as they try to build their homes on my home.

a frequent visitor.....finally got a picture!!!!!!!!

zonesix, that's great! How did you get the pic -- they're so fast! I used to see hummers all the time when I had a cottage in Vermont but haven't seen any here. I know they're here but maybe they don't like the beach or something. I'd love to see them again.

-- Vicky

That's great! I love the little guys, but they don't seem to like my yard. I've planted so many plants to attract hummers even put out the food for them.....none! I feel rejected!

To get the hummingbird picture i rapid shot 60 pictures in about 20 seconds...i got 3 nice ones out of it..

I got two more yard critters today. Here's one.... it's a black swallowtail. I was glad to see one since I've seen plenty of the caterpillars and lost all my parsley!!

--Vicky

And here's the other.... he actually landed in my yard, saw me and picked up and moved to my next door neighbor's house. I followed him though. He was very nervous about me so I couldn't get too close. It's a ibis.

-- Vicky

I've had a frog in my backyard garden for quite some time, and there are several blue-tailed skinks who think my back porch is a great sunbathing area. This morning, though, I found a brand new addition - a young smooth green snake curled around a petiole of a columbine, with his head resting on the leaf! Of course, I spoke to him and introduced myself, and then I invited him to stick around. I did warn him, however about one of my "little fur children", Blackie, who is a rat terrier mix and thinks chasing lizards, snakes and bugs is a rare art form!

Wish I could post a pic, but I have an older digital camera that uses floppy disks to store the pics - and my floppy drive isn't working right! He is a beautiful creature; think I'll call him Greg. Greg the Greensnake - how's that sound? LOL

Linda

Same here ShelfLife. RIP for stinging me when I wasn't even close!

vcb1 - Isn't that a great white egret?

You know ceejaytown, I think you're right. Egrets have the black legs and yellowish beaks. The ibis has pinkish legs. Thanks for correcting me. I get some of this kind of bird mixed up as many look quite similar.

As an update on my box turtles, I walked by one of my sliding doors yesterday and caught a glance at something quite big (bigger than a leaf anyway) in my pool. I ran out and found one of my box turtles swimming like mad! Good thing I saw him as he had no way to get out. You'd think they'd learn to stay out of the pool! LOL!

-- Vicky

Hmmm, maybe you need to buy them little tiny turtle water wings.... ;) or at least a floating lounge chair...

Diann

Vicky,
Have you thought about putting a (weighted) board down one side of your pool steps to give them something to climb out on? If the angle's not too steep...

Be glad you have only box turtles, though! We're having an influx of snapping turtles this year, it seems. Cranky little creatures!

You know a weighted board or something isn't a bad idea! I can probably put something on the first step if I can get it to stay there -- there is a jet right next to the step. I'll try it and maybe weight it down with a cinder block or something. I also get snakes in the pool sometimes and they can't get out either. I've had ducks and crabs too!

Floaties might do too though -- LOL!

Have you ever see the alligator snapping turtles? I don't know if you have them up where you are but we do down here. They get HUGE! My local pet shop had one on display for a while (they have special licenses to care for some unusual animals). It was about the size of a truck inner tube. I wouldn't want to encounter one of those on a swim!

-- Vicky

Anyone know who this visitor was? DH took the pic and said it acted like a bee, but looks like a fly. I have looked through a lot of pics on bugguide.net with no luck. He hovered around my Crown of Thorns for a day or two.

Here is a good posterior shot.

This guy was definately NOT welcome. He was feasting on our fish & others in the neighborhood Koi ponds.

Sheila_FW - that's a great shot! I don't know what is is but you might try the identfication forum. I've gotten good answers there. I love to watch for tiny creatures.

That's a great blue heron. They love to hang around the fishermen here and steal bait. They're quite clever too -- it you cover your bait pail with something, they'll knock it off to get to the bait. They are beautiful though! Great shot!!

-- Vicky