Fauna and other natural things

[nebo113]

This morning a saw a tiny lizard trying to dash inside the building through the staff entrance in back.  As inside is not a safe environment for a lizard (And their presence tends to cause a certain amount of hysteria among staff members and patrons), I put my foot down to try to head it off and herd it back outside.  Instead I accidentally killed the poor little thing!  It makes for a sad start to a workday on what was already a very dreary day out.

Sorry.

[mamselle]

Aww.

Maybe some bird or other creature benefitted, though.

M.

[apl68]

Aww.

Maybe some bird or other creature benefitted, though.

M.

Well, I did toss it outside, so undoubtedly something is going to end up feasting on the remains.



I now have unwelcome fauna in my house that I'm trying to trap out.

[Parasaurolophus]

Saw a crow chasing a vulture.

[apl68]

The unwelcome fauna is now out of the house.  It did not survive.  Things escalated in a way that I would rather had not happened.  I don't feel at this point like sharing further.  I'm just glad that I escaped injury myself.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Too bad about the fauna, apl68.

I found what I think was a Brown Snake (common, nonvenomous) near my garage and moved it into the brush. Well, I know it wasn't a baby copperhead due to the lack of a bright yellow tail, etc. It pooped/musked me. I have been blessed by the Snake Gods. :P

[mamselle]

Saw a crow chasing a vulture.

They HATE large raptors.

I was working on a paper once and hear a whole murder of them in the trees, yelling their heads off.

Turned out there was an owl sitting there, blinking quietly, turning its head about as if to say, "What's all the fuss about?"

Of course, if they hadn't chased it away, it might well have gone after their young in the nests, and they knew it.

The sudden quiet was deafening.

M.

[Morden]

Ants. Lots and lots of ants. Normally, we have lots and lots of ants outside, and I don't care. These ones are in the kitchen, and I do care.

[waterboy]

One of the few benefits of being awake at 3 am is the weird call of a local screech owl coming through the window.

[namazu]

After a dearth of butterfly sightings, I've seen both a zebra swallowtail and a giant swallowtail (plus assorted tiger swallowtails, monarchs, azures, red-spotted purples, admirals, sulfurs, and the ubiquitous cabbage whites) in the past week.

[nebo113]

Henri the canine cornered a groundhog (probably a yung'in) in a fence corner, and barked madly but didn't attack.  Henri the canine does not like rain, so I rained the hose on him until he fled to the porch, giving ground hog time to escape.  I think they live in a rock ledge just outside the fence.

[cathwen]

Henri is a great name for a dog!

[mamselle]

I was thinking that.

Or a turtle....

M.

[Harlow2]

Ants. Lots and lots of ants. Normally, we have lots and lots of ants outside, and I don't care. These ones are in the kitchen, and I do care.

Here too.  Knocked many of them down fast with diatomaceous earth (pet friendly).  Still,some stragglers whose entry point I can't find. Guess I need one of those trap things. I wonder if our very hot wet summer is contributing.

[Morden]

Still,some stragglers whose entry point I can't find.

After looking in all the usual places, I saw a couple coming out from the power outlet on the tile--which means they're in the wall, but I don't want to think about that.