Nature Watch, Your Flora and Fauna Photos and Stories

Archer · Aug 21, 2023

Gooseprints...

Stroll by the creek...

Getting ready to transition...

Walrus · Aug 21, 2023

Omegafanman
Saw this one while out picking blackberries. May not look much but to some by UK standards if I had a saddle I could have ridden it home/ big wasp.
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“May not look like much” does it hurt like hell when it stings?. We got white faced hornets which aren’t particularly big but I hit a nest when I was knocking over trees thought the 30 or so bites was going to put me in the hospital. My poor grandfather hit a nest of yellow jackets when he was trimming bushes got stung over 50 times as he said he ran pretty good for an 78 plus year old guy but not fast enough he figured if he was 30 he could have got it down to 20 bites. He did end up in the hospital as his arm swell up too bad. It don’t matter how big those stinging creatures are I have respect for them all. PS- felt very bad for my grandfather if I make it to 78 I’d hate to be tested on my running skills.

NOTSHARP · Aug 22, 2023

Steve.

NOTSHARP · Aug 22, 2023

Steve.

Lépine · Aug 22, 2023

What a beautiful day. It was about a week ago before the Hurricane Hillary came to California.

Couple of house buddies.

Couple of Mourning Doves that are back again. For some reason, they like my front door. I have to open my door slowly so I don't frighten them. This is the second time this year they are nesting next to where I keep my shoes.
Theres two you can see from my kitchen window.

April they had chicks. I used to go out at 9:00 pm to water the plants and the hen was sleeping on top of her eggs.

As soon as the chicks learned to fly, I had to get them and put them back into their nest since they kept falling out.

I would open my front door and they would be waiting for help until instinct kicked in and they were stronger flyers.
They were so cute, tempting to make them into pets, but they are better off in the wild. The mother is back again this morning August 22 so if we are lucky this will be her second set of chicks born literally on my door steps.

Omegafanman · Aug 22, 2023

Archer
Gooseprints...

For animal tracks this might come in handy.......
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Archer · Aug 22, 2023

Omegafanman
For animal tracks this might come in handy.......
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Since I saw the Geese making the tracks, I think I'm good thanks...

Canada Goose (wildwoodtracking.com)

Omegafanman · Aug 22, 2023

Archer
Since I saw the Geese making the tracks, I think I'm good thanks...

Canada Goose (wildwoodtracking.com)

It was never my intention to impugn the veracity of your doubtless excellent Spooring skills. I just thought it might help those of us less skilled in the art who might come across random prints on our travels and may struggle to tell an injured Lemur from a Beaver etc.
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Archer · Aug 22, 2023

Omegafanman
It was never my intention

Uh huh...

Archer · Aug 22, 2023

Neighbour across the street has this in his trees - right about shoulder height...

Known here as Bald Faced Hornets (technically a wasp) - they can be quite nasty and are about 150% the size of the more common Yellowjacket.

NOTSHARP · Aug 25, 2023

Steve.

NOTSHARP · Aug 25, 2023

Steve.

Waltesefalcon · Aug 27, 2023

Buffalo by Quanah Parker lake.

jayelblock · Aug 27, 2023

From egg to flight in 16 days...

The bluebirds that nest on my deck typically quit laying eggs in ther heat of summer, but this determined pair laid a clutch in mid-July.

On August 2nd with a temperature of 104 degrees, two eggs hatched successfully, one egg did not hatch, and the fourth hatchling attempted to break free but was unable to do so. It was difficult, but necessary, not to interfere.

jayelblock · Aug 27, 2023

(Whoops- hit reply by accident. Here is the hatch.)

I love how this one still has an egg-shaped belly.

Two babies struggled through the heat.

jayelblock · Aug 27, 2023

jayelblock · Aug 27, 2023

The day they were ready to fledge, their siblings from the prior hatch were very interested. (You can also see the shade cloth and heat reflector I cobbled together. )