Nature moment...

[mamatutu]

I was out on my back deck just now, repotting flowers from my front bed that are dying because of the heat. I am listening to the loud bugs/frogs and the owls. Flood lights are on and I am making some noise with what I am doing. A mom raccoon and her three babies walked right past me on their nightly run. They were adorable! I have seen an occasional raccoon before from a distance, but this was a true nature moment!

 

[mamatutu]

This is what I was repotting tonight to try to save them. The celosia flower is what I picked this year to put in my front beds. I had never seen them before, and I loved them because they look like little colorful soldiers. They are supposed to like full sun exposure and be drought resistant. Well, as we all know this spring/summer has been a crazy ride, and these flowers were not happy. So, I created sort of a nursery to try to save them. Oh, yeah, deer love them, too, (I think it is their dessert; they just chomp of the flower and leave the stem) and my hostas! We are having our one big annual crab feast party next weekend. So, of course, between the rain, drought, and deer, my beds are in shambles. So, trying to save the flowers. Live, learn, and never give up!

Celosia - Cockscomb

 

[mamatutu]

Another nature moment that I loved. We have an Indigo Bunting coming to our birdfeeder. Has anyone else seen these? They are supposed to be common in our area, but I had never seen one before this year. Absolutely beautiful!

Indigo Bunting, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

 

[Vince]

Yeah, I had a nature moment this morning. That dayum deer walking around my backyard like he owned the place. Of course there's nothing left in the garden for him to eat....he and that doe ate it all except the hot peppers.

 

[FancyBelle]

Another nature moment that I loved. We have an Indigo Bunting coming to our birdfeeder. Has anyone else seen these? They are supposed to be common in our area, but I had never seen one before this year. Absolutely beautiful!

Indigo Bunting, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

I have one that comes to my finch feeders every year. At least I think it's the same one, but only one. I have never seen more than one, which I think is odd. He's a pretty little guy.

 

[dorothydot]

From what I hear, Indicgo Buntings are supposed to be what they call an "indicator species", meaning that they are sensitive to some environmental factor - more so than most others.

In this case, the environmental factor is air pollution. Yes, they did used to be very common, with their "sweet-sweet, where-where, here-here" calls. But not any more.

So cherish your little feeder-friend. These are truly gorgeous birds!

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

Yeah, raccoons are cool. Until they get into your garbage, figure out how to get underneath your house, migrate to your attic and claw/kill your dog or cat.

 

[frogman123]

Another nature moment that I loved. We have an Indigo Bunting coming to our birdfeeder. Has anyone else seen these? They are supposed to be common in our area, but I had never seen one before this year. Absolutely beautiful!

Indigo Bunting, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Indigo Buntings are always a treat- rarely see them. Another good find is the Scarlet Tanager. Those are the two elusive birds around here that I always get excited to see.

 

[bilbur]

I was out on my back deck just now, repotting flowers from my front bed that are dying because of the heat. I am listening to the loud bugs/frogs and the owls. Flood lights are on and I am making some noise with what I am doing. A mom raccoon and her three babies walked right past me on their nightly run. They were adorable! I have seen an occasional raccoon before from a distance, but this was a true nature moment!

CHOOT EM, raccoons make good eats.

 

[mamatutu]

Indigo Buntings are always a treat- rarely see them. Another good find is the Scarlet Tanager. Those are the two elusive birds around here that I always get excited to see.

I have seen a yellow bird now and then, but it doesn't stick around long enough for me to study it. It may be the female Scarlet Tanager. I have never seen a male.

Scarlet Tanager, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

When I lived in St. Leonard we had a family of raccoons living in the tree in our front yard. Early one morning I was leaving for work and I heard them making a bunch of screeching noise. Turned out, one of the babies fell out of the tree and the mom was going to get it. I watched the entire time, took a while and I was almost late for work, but it was worth it to watch her drag that baby all that way back up to the nest. I was so amazed that the baby didn't get hurt by the fall, it was a long way down.

Years and years ago, we would go with retired Navy friends of ours to Cheatham Annex Cheatham Annex - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
We got the same cabin on the river and my Brother and I would feed the geese and the ducks; and the raccoon that; I kid you not; would be waiting on the stoop when we got there. Well, that's what we chose to think anyway.
We would check to see if he was on the stoop after the sun went down; and he would be; then we'd feed him crackers til he had his fill.
When he got full, he'd just turn around and go back into the woods.