September 28, 2010-Pileated Woodpecker

Finally!! I got some good shots of this beautiful bird and some video. He actually stayed on that one tree for quite some time. Usually he flies away so fast that I never get any photos. So I was happy!

September 27, 2010-Foxes-Chipmunks

This is one of the daddy foxes. He still comes down every morning. He's a little wet from the dew.

A Tufted Titmouse and chipmunks

I got a good night shot of the foxes tonight. Four of them were out there that I could see. So I guess they are still around. They just wait till after dark to come now, as they should. They were all out there nice and peacefully till some skunks showed up. Then they sort of moved and let the skunks eat their nuts.

September 25, 2010-Critters

September 23, 2010-The Ermine Is Back!

I spotted the Weasel again today, or Ermine as they are called. A Chipmunk got caught by him and almost had his last day on earth but I opened the window and scared the weasel and the chipmunk got away. I'm adding the video here. I had to put my camera down to open the window so didn't get the chipmunk's escape but sure glad he did!! I felt so bad for him. Those Ermine's are cute but vicious.

September 20, 2010-The Gray Foxes With Skunks

This is one of the older females. She always looks scared and is always on watch for anything out of the way. She ran when the skunks started coming down. She didn't even go back around the rock wall. Instead she ran around the front of the building and up the other side. I never see her mate. Maybe something happened to him and that is why she acts so jumpy now. These foxes mate for life and it's sad when one gets killed or dies. I hope he's still with her though.

The two of the fox pups came down while the skunks were out there also. They didn't care.

Both Gray Fox Pups were down close on this day. It was nice seeing them again. I wonder if these two will always hang around together? Maybe just for the first year. Then they will find mates of their own and go somewhere else to live, if they are lucky to escape the hunters and trappers from October through February. They were out there with two of the younger skunks for a while. They are fun to watch.

September 18, 2010-Critters

This woodchuck is still trying to get that plastic up. He has really chewed it a lot. I think he wants to use it in his den. He had no luck this day.

A Chipmunk with full cheeks and a couple foxes. I don't see the foxes much but they are still around I'm sure.

Spotted this young squirrel today. It's kind of late in the season for such young ones. Looks like it's mom under that bush. And another squirrel was digging around in the grass for something.

These three younger skunks were down early tonight.

This is the daddy fox. He still comes every morning and sits there like that,waiting for me to throw out the nuts. I noticed he has a slit in one of his ears now. Must have gotten in a fight or cut it on something. Maybe the pups were playing too rough.. It's all healed though. The little chipmunk was watching him. The chipmunk with the broken foot has disappeared so he probably has gotten killed. He sure was a tough one. He ran down dozens of times to fill up on nuts every day and ran back up there to the back woods. I figured he'd get caught sooner or later. Maybe that Weasel got him. But I haven't seen the weasel again. The fox might get him... That's nature.

September 15, 2010-Woodchuck

The Chipmunk was up the tree, getting away from this cat. Another Chipmunk was sitting on the fencing after the cat left. The cat usually runs away when I go to the window.

The Woodchuck is loading up on food for the winter. He needs to get a lot fatter before he hibernates.

The woodchuck was digging up the plastic that is under the rocks. He was really ripping it too! Bad boy!

Sept. 14th 2010-Not Much new

Same old critters. I haven't spotted the weasel again. I was hoping he'd be back. He was so cute. But maybe it's better he isn't hanging around. I think he'd eat the Chipmunks. They do eat all sorts of rodents and birds.

I Have A New Critter!! Weasel! Added Info About Them

I couldn't believe my eyes today! I thought I saw something strange in the rock wall. At first I thought maybe it was a rat but the color was wrong. So I watched and to my surprise a little weasel came out and went down inside the drain grate out there. I waited and waited and finally he came back out. He was so fast though. I had to go into the bedroom to catch a view of him when he ran that way. At least I got some video of him. Never did get any good still shots but I captured some off the video to make these collages. I hope he comes back. He's so cute!! I had never seen one before so this was so exciting for me! There's plenty of Voles out there for him to eat. Hope he leaves the Chipmunks alone. He seems too small for them though. I am adding the video also.








Ermine
Mustela erminea

AKA: Stoat, Short-tailed weasel
Identifying characteristics: A small, weasel-like mammal (long body, short legs, long neck, triangular head, protruding ears, long whiskers) with brown fur on top and white fur on the the undersides including the neck and lower jaw. In winter they tend to turn completely white, except for the black tips of their tail.
Size: From 6 to 12 inches in length (not including their tails, which make up 35% of their total length) and weighing up to 4 ounces. Males are roughly double the size of females.
Habitat: Coniferous and other forests, marshes, open fields (close to forests), brushland. Dens can be crevices under tree roots, rocks or logs and sometimes in abandoned burrows. Dens are usually at or below ground level.
Food: Carnivorous. Specialize in small mammals, but will often eat birds, eggs, fish, lizards, snakes, frogs and insects. Ermine often cache leftover food. Females tend to hunt within their prey's burrows, while males hunt on the ground.
Vocalization: Generally not vocal. Grunts, hisses, chatters, whines.
Predators: Humans, larger mammals and birds.
Reproduction: Litter size average 4-9 (sometimes reaching 18) with 1 litter a year. Mating season is in late spring, early summer.
Other Info.: They are diurnal, often active both day and night. They are capable climbers and swimmers. They often investigate all the crevices and holes when moving about, looking for prey. They will periodically stand upright to check their surroundings and to look out for predators. They are well adapted for snow. Very solitary animals.

Videos-Cooper's Hawk-Tanager

September 11, 2010-Tanager And Goldfinches.

I spotted this strange bird and had to look it up to be sure what it was. It's a female Scarlet Tanager.

I went out front of my building yesterday to put another sock up closer to the windows so thought I'd try and get a few photos of the Goldfinches hanging around.

September 9th And 10th Critters-Hawk Too!

This Cooper's Hawk was flying down and through the bushes trying to catch a small bird. Not sure if he caught one but he did chase a young BlueJay out of my sight.

The chipmunks were scared and one ran up the tree. The leaves are changing fast.

A young BlueJay and some House sparrows and a Dove.

Cardinals

A female adult Gray Fox. She and her mate look thin or else their fur is changing for the winter.

This is the male Gray Fox

The Critters I saw Sept. 8th 2010

The Turkey Video-Sept. 6, 2010

Thought I'd throw this video here for a while. There were quite a few Turkeys out there that day. have not seen them since though.

September 1st Thru 6th Collages-2010

I've been off for a while but getting back to normal. I had to spend a couple days in the hospital. Almost bled to death and had to have blood transfusions. Thank heavens the bleeding has gone back to the usual few drops instead of gushing out. I have to stay off my ibuprofen and anything that will thin my blood. That tumor is way too sensitive. Anyway. I'm glad to be able to still watch my outdoor critters!! And take care of my indoor ones. They missed me a lot.
I saw some turkeys and I do see a couple of the foxes now and then but not often. Last night I was watching two of the pups trying to grab some food as the skunk was out there also. Those darn skunks are grabbing all the food now. I think that's way they are so fat. Ha! Ha! I have not seen the Raccoon at all in over a month now but I'm glad about that. He was climbing up on the window. He might have dug up the building bad eventually. Bad enough the squirrels do that. While I was gone they didn't get all the food they usually do and I did see where one chewed the vinyl. One little bite. The lady upstairs fed them for me but only once a day. I really have to stop feeding these critters so much because one day i won't be here at all. They won't be such happy campers when that happens. They sure won't be as fat either!! Ha!