Who lives in your yard?

[Karen]

Who lives in your yard, in terms of wildlife? It can be critters who are just passing through as well ...

I know we have ...
chipmunks
short-tailed shrew
sometimes a wild mouse (but there are lots of cats)
squirrels
a wild bunny who often passes through
wild turkeys who hang around the neighborhood

we used to see pheasant when we first lived here, but don't seem them any more.

And of course, sparrows, chickadees, juncos, nuthatches, cardinals, blue jays, mourning doves and more are often around.

Every once in a while there's a skunk, some years raccoons ...

How about your place?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Bunnies

Lots of birds - hummingbirds, doves, LOUD crows, finches

Mice

Lizards

When Barbara and Seigmar were here we had a unusual visitor - a road runner:)

[pomtzu]

Every bird imaginable - cardinals are my favorite
And as many bugs too
Slugs - despite my efforts to eradicate them
Squirrels
Bunnies
Chipmunks
Possums
An occasional pheasant
Snakes
Mice
Deer
Fox
Skunks
Raccoons
Moles

We once had a bull in the driveway that escaped from a nearby farm! :eek:

[finn's mom]

No one, not for long anyway. Freckles is a true hunter and will kill anything her size or smaller. Sometimes it's a good thing, like when David's mom's yard is overrun by rodents or when the birds won't leave her fig tree alone. ;) Freckles keeps watch over the fruits and veggies!

[Taz_Zoee]

We have:
Birds, of course.
Squirrels, which Zoee loves to chase!
I've seen a skunk once (luckily Zoee didn't see it).
There used to be an opossum when we had DJ, but we haven't seen it in years.
There are rats, because they ate through the bottom of our hot tub. :(
Oh, and I think a raccoon. I know we've seen one in the front yard (even got pictures of it).

[Grace]

Every bird imaginable - cardinals are my favorite
And as many bugs too
Slugs - despite my efforts to eradicate them
Squirrels
Bunnies
Chipmunks
Possums
An occasional pheasant
Snakes
Mice
Deer
Fox
Skunks
Raccoons
Moles

We once had a bull in the driveway that escaped from a nearby farm! :eek:

I can't believe how much alike our lists are, even down to the last item - are you sure you don't live on the next dirt road over from me?

cats
dogs
birds
raccoons
deer
squirrels
skunks
moles
mice
wild turkeys
the occasional coyote
ground hog
possums
chipmunks
snakes
rabbits

We've had ducks in the past.

And then there was the day I looked up and saw 2 black and white cows!! They were just babies - about 4 months old - but weighed around 350 pounds each. Someone left the gate open and they decided to check out the neighborhood. Fortunately their owner corralled them quickly :)

[Freedom]

Quite a variety of birds, especially as I put feeders out all winter.
Cardinals (3 breeding pair), robin, chickadeees, dark eyed juncos.

Squirrel (yes, only 1)
Mice
Moles
Voles
Ducks
Canadian Geese (in season)
Coyotes

The occasional skunk.

Thanks to the coyotes, no rabbits (we had loads when I first bought the house 7 years ago, then the coyotes moved up from the river), only one squirrel left, but since we have one every year I doubt it is the same one each year.

Good topic, Karen!

[Alysser]

Chipmunk family, birds - sparrows and jays mostly, the occasional groundhog, and my particular favorite is a black feral kitty we feed.

[pomtzu]

I can't believe how much alike our lists are, even down to the last item - are you sure you don't live on the next dirt road over from me?

And then there was the day I looked up and saw 2 black and white cows!! They were just babies - about 4 months old - but weighed around 350 pounds each. Someone left the gate open and they decided to check out the neighborhood. Fortunately their owner corralled them quickly :)

That's funny. There was nothing little about this guy tho - he was a full grown bull. The farmer came to corral him, and the boy up the road was with him - he was about 10 yrs old at the time. I was watching from the safety of the front porch with my hand on the door and ready to bolt inside. The kid hollers up to me - "You stay right up there where you're safe Mrs W. This ain't no cow, ya' know!" I still laugh about him saying that, all these years later. :D

[cassiesmom]

There are so many birds in the trees outside my building! We aren't allowed to feed them but I know there are people who do. Plus squirrels, chipmunks, and the occasional opossum or raccoon. If I am very lucky I may see a visiting deer.

My mom and dad have a bird (they think it is a cardinal) who starts singing every morning around 4:30 AM -- it's still dark out at that hour and the bird sings LOUD! He favors 2 different trees in their yard.

[kokopup]

I have a lot of acreage so I get to see a little of everything. I have some
Nocturnal critters that I don't see but see evidence of their presence on
my trails. Following are some but not all on my critters.

Every bird imaginable but especially Humming Birds. I have 3 feeders that around 15 hummers fight over.

Squirrels
Rabbits
Chipmunks
Possums
Armadilla
Turkey
Snakes
Mice
Deer
Fox
Skunks
Raccoons
Moles
Groundhogs
Coyotes
Canadian Geese== that have become permanant residence.
Bunches of lizards , Scaley, camillion, Blue tail
feral cats and ocassional dogs.

[G535]

Lots of birds:

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii256/foamer22/bird5a.jpg

and all the neighbors' cats.

[KYS]

BUGS! PLENTY OF BUGS!
Squirrels
Possums
lizards
Mice
rats
birds including hawks.
cats and dogs
I have never seen them, but have been seen in the neighborhood.
coyotes, and snakes.

[sparks19]

Well

We are the proud habitat for a mommy and daddy Robin with TWO big beautiful babies... won't be long before they take off from the nest they are getting so big.

we have SOMETHING living under the deck but we aren't sure exactly what is under there

other than that... most critters avoid our yard because the dogs make SURE of it lol

[Pembroke_Corgi]

Because of our dogs, I don't think anything lives in the yard except the jackrabbit who likes our front yard (which the dogs don't have access to). But, we have visitors, brave (or stupid) creatures that will stop by like squirrels, birds, and I saw a cute little mouse the other day.

Up the road near our community park there is a "village" of prairie dogs (there are quite a few prairie dog cities around here) so sometimes you will see coyotes and large hawks around there too. I've also seen a few pronghorn antelope up the road in a large field, but never in our yard.

[Queen of Poop]

We've had a variety since we moved in in November:

Moose
Elk
Deer
Coyotes
Red Fox
Weasel
A huge variety of birds (I'm still looking for the Alberta Bird book to be able to identify them all)
3 horses ran away from home and stayed for 3 days, munching our grass

Hope I've not missed anyone.

[kuhio98]

Moose
Coyote
Steller Jays
Robins
Chickadees
Dark Eyed Junkos
Loons
Sand Hill Cranes
Mice
Shrews
Voles
Bees
Hornets
Dragonflys
Butterflys

[Sirrahsim]

We have a charming collection of fire ants and the occasional Black Widow spider:eek:
I saw a rabbit sometime last year and the whole neighborhood is full of squirrels.

Oh yeah, and roaches big enough to saddle up and ride :eek::rolleyes:

[kokopup]

Oh yeah, and roaches big enough to saddle up and ride

I guess that explains why your Armadilla moved to Alabama:D:D

[Sirrahsim]

In guess that explains why your Armadilla moved to Alabama:D:D

It wouldn't surprise me! Those suckers look like they could eat me if they wanted to:eek::eek:

[kokopup]

In my list of Critters that frequent my home I didn't address the Insect population. I will say that Alabama has an abundance of insects especially this time of year. I have a few that if I posted their picture I would be visited by the Discovery Channel because I'm sure they are from prehistoric times. When my time comes and I'm before my Maker I going to ask him, "what on God's green earth were you thinking." The Scorpion, Yellow Jacket and Fire Ant to name just a few are insects that I can't see having any purpose other than producing pain. I'm sure there must have been a plan but it escapes me what it could have been.

Koko, Lucy and Desi got into a Yellow Jackets nest the other day and Desi ,who got the worst of it, will not set foot on the trails now. He was stung at least 6 or 7 times. Koko licked her wombs for a day or two but now is fine on the trails. I believe the sting of the Yellow Jacket has got to be the worst.

You can add to that list Fleas & ticks. This years bunches of ticks. If we walk in the woods we have to be extra careful to inspect for ticks.

[Casper]

This year I have seen in our yard....

-Birds
-Squirrels
-Raccoons
-Deer
-Rabbits
-Foxes (one of which made itself at home in our garage earlier this summer)
-Mice
-A Groundhog
-Insects

The ones in bold are seen on a daily basis.

In our neighborhood, if you do not put the lid on your trash cans you are sure to receive a visit from the pack of wild dogs that live in the area.

[Pinot's Mom]

As I've posted before, we live at the edge of the state forest, so....

Deer (white tailed, hundreds)
Red Fox
Rabbits
Groundhogs
Box Turtles (we've named them Otis and Odessa)
Tree Frogs
Spring Peepers
Chipmunks
Barred Owls
Great Horned Owls
Pileated Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Other Woodpeckers
Ruby throated Hummingbird
many Sparrow species
Chickadees
Cardinals
Blue Jays
Catbirds
Crows
Red Shouldered Hawks
Cooper's Hawks
Bluebirds
Robins
Ravens
Goldfinches
Dragonflies
Butterflies (especially Swallowtails)
various spiders, especially Barn Spiders
Mud Dauber Wasps
other Wasps and Bees
snakes, including southern copperheads and black snakes
squirrels
Canada Geese

...and one little police woman named Pinot! :)

[wolf_Q]

Well we did have some birds in our yard but Keva just killed one yesterday. :rolleyes: I'm glad we don't get bunnies/squirrels/etc. in our yard because I'd have to watch the dogs kill them too. I've pretty much just seen birds, snakes, and bugs of course. There's a lot of quail that live in the area. My friend up the street has had raccoons, pheasants, deer, etc. in her yard so its possible I just haven't seen them in my yard. I have seen deer on our street a few times though and my mom saw a coyote down the road once.

[Lady's Human]

Normal full time residents:

Rabbits
Gray Squirrels
1 Red squirrel
Bunnies
Garter snakes
1 snake who I don't know what he/she is (Dull black snake, doesn't fit any descriptions of local denizens)
Frogs
Toads
Bass
2 Grass Carp
Shiners
slugs
snails
salamanders
moles

Lots and lots of birds.......cardinals, chickadees, finches of all types, martins, a resident family of bluebirds, red wing blackbirds, robins, hummingbirds

Passing through routinely:

Skunks (including one who is interred under the deck....thanks Lady)
Deer
Black Bear
Coyotes
Foxes
Red tail hawks
Great Blue Herons
(*&@!^#(*&@ Canada Geese

[cassiesmom]

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs116.snc1/5163_93530377767_823802767_1939385_7866586_n.jpg

Here's a picture of a deer that paid my brother and my niece a visit about a month ago. They live about a mile north of me; the deer was in their yard so they picked up the camera and got a picture. Last summer they had a doe and fawn come through the yard one evening when they were eating supper.

[anna_66]

Awesome thread Karen:)

You all get so many visitors!

We don't get too many, but when we do it's mostly in the front yard (can't say I blame them;))
I've had some pictures I've been going to share for like forever so I'll just put them here.
Possum
Bunny
Doves-silly things are in the back yard
Chipmunk
Hummingbird
Cardinal
Mice-which Roxey catches and eats:eek:
And of course lots and lots of sparrows!

[Sonia59]

Wow, stunning! All these animals are not familiar of French yards!

Now I live in a very crowed area near Paris, but I still have the chance to have a small yard. It's completely enclosed on the back of the house, so we have only neighbour kitties, birds, snails, insects (butterflies, bees, aunts, spiders).

My former house was in the country, with a yard open to the fields, so in addition to the above animals, we had rabbits, mice, moles.

[cassiesmom]

Two of the four neighborhood cats are back in my mom and dad's yard. The brown tabby is from the house across the alley -- my dad and I have both asked that family to please keep their cat indoors because she poops in my dad's garden. And the tuxie is from the house across the street and one door east. I would be really happy if that family kept their cat indoors because s/he is mostly black and I don't want him/her getting struck by a car.

So far, no raccoons this year (unlike the mom and four babies he had in August). One opossum.

[Louie and me]

Every bird imaginable including a Coopers Hawk I saw the other day.
Lots of bunnies (especially now my crocus are showing)
Squirrels black and brown
Chipmunks
Voles
A beautiful red fox
Racoons
A coyote (in next door's garden)
I smell the leftover odor of a skunk but fortunately have not seen it!
My yard backs onto a creek that joins a conservation area and this winter for the first time we had three deer that have visited once or twice a day. The fences mean nothing as they cross from garden to garden. I have pictures if I only knew how to load them.

[moosmom]

We have two hand raised squirrels in our apt courtyard. Everyone feeds them. One's name is Leo. A tenant, who removes trees for a living, found Leo and another littermate inside a tree, orphaned supposedly.

He took them both home and he and his wife bottle fed them. I buy peanuts for them. Leo will actually climb up your arm and sit on your shoulder for a peanut!!! My cats are MEZMERIZED by them!!!