Wildlife Wednesday

Welcome to Wildlife Wednesday! I wonder if I can keep this going weekly or not? I guess we shall see, eh.

Not much to report aside from the Pileated Woodpecker/walk in Lambton Woods and the return of one of the Topper's but I do have a few tidbits.

I've been making friends with yet another Pigeon. I'm not keen on naming him because the last couple new visitors we've named have disappeared. The threat of the Cooper's Hawk persists and that may have scared them off like "my flock" who still have not come back and my hope fades as 3 months have passed. Angie has been leaning towards calling him Charlie because he is a bit of an outcast and a loner. We've watched him get beat on by a couple other new Pigeons who have started to come in as well. Let's see if he sticks around in the coming weeks and months. Sing along if you know the words... "Charlie Brown, he's a clown (why is everybody always picking on me?) la la dee da". Something like that.

I know the neighbours watch me hand feed the Pigeons. I know the lady next door loves it. I'm not sure what others think from yards over (not that I really care). But it seems someone else has been taking observation to the feeding ritual and decided he wanted a piece of the action, and some peanut bits.

This is a cool but startling thing to experience, having some seemingly random Squirrel jump on you like this and for 2 days in a row now. Being an advocate for wildlife this does conflict some of my views but honestly I'm not one for chasing something away when this does happen. Life is about experiences and I don't see a problem in having connections with our backyard friends to a certain degree. He did cross a boundary that is okay with me but may not be so with someone else. If he stays in our backyards, I don't see him having any problems though. Aside from this yard, he probably does hit a place a few doors over who seem to think it's okay to leave out tea biscuits for the Squirrels. Not the best choice of food for the animals but this house once had an elderly couple who chased all the wildlife with brooms and shovels. We witnessed the woman knock 4 young Raccoons out of her tree one afternoon. She chased them through the garden with a broom, whacking them as they scurried away. So having someone much the opposite now, well, I'm okay about it.

I had possibly 6 Snowy Owls on my way home from work Monday night. Four for certain, but another 2 on the north side I am almost certain I spotted. We are into March now so I am always wondering when will be my last Snowy Owl of the season.

I sought out a couple Long-eared Owls earlier this week. Another species I am curious if these were my last of the season. A Squirrel was running through the tree below the roosting Owl, which is what he is looking at here.

And lastly, I spent part of my coffee break at work watching this Coyote in a field near the Tim Horton's. What I see in my memory is much better than this photo I took. The animal strolled the ground, sniffing, pouncing and digging, and I think may have gotten itself a rodent snack.

I get a 30 minute break in an 8 hour shift. So anytime I can enjoy a quick coffee and watch a bit of wildlife with that time out is amazing. I am taken away from the Pepsi plant, far far away in my mind anyway. You may recall some winters I had many lunches with Snowy Owls. Who wouldn't want that?

Well, that's it for this entry. Let's see if I make it back here next Wednesday for another WW entry. Funny that WW also stands for whisky Wednesday. Cheers!

If you still have time for another quick read, my wife Angie did a blog recently which may turn you onto something really cool. See here.