A Yard Full of Wildlife

So here's what goes down in our yard, pretty much on a daily basis. Above shows our picnic table out on our patio. Last weekend, a Cooper's Hawk decided to make a meal out of House Finch - right on the table. I realize it's not very easy to see. So take a look at the next one - a view from our kitchen window...

This illustrious group is a subset of the 20 or more white-tailed deer that hang out in or near our yard on a daily basis. When we first moved here, it was a dozen or so. They have babies every Spring - last year Mark was mowing the lawn and there was a tiny newborn, very close to the edge of the trees on our property. They're really cute, but they grow, and then become parents themselves! So now the "herd" as we call it is over 20 females and young males, and on occasion, we see the big guys - a 6 point buck and 8 point buck. And until the state allows hunting on private properties in residential areas, they're just going to get more prolific.

Oh, and one more thing - off to the right of the photo - that's our shed. We keep our lawn mower, bikes, pool equipment, snow blower, etc... It has become home to a couple of red squirrels. Beasts, they are. Every surface, every container, every corner and pretty much anything that hasn't been moved in a year is either full of, or covered with squirrel evidence. Hickory nuts, leaves, pinecones, you name it. This spring, there's going to be an eviction. No advance notice, no court date. Mark and I are declaring war on the little rodents, and we won't stop until we're victorious. And then we're putting on new doors - so next time it won't be so easy for them to chew their way in.

And that, folks, is life in our yard, everyday. I could mention that constant parade of regular gray squirrels, and the chipmunks that eat vegetables out of our garden in summer. The screech owls that had babies two summers ago. And how about the bear that left his evidence half an acre from our front door in our front yard? We didn't see him. Believe me, I'd have a picture posted if we did. But we take a look around before we go outside in the summertime. And that's one yard beast I hope I never see.