Fauna and other natural things

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

It stung you?

I didn't know they did that.

But yeah, they're cool....I found one once and took it home to release in my garden.

I figured it would eat stuff I didn't want....saw it a day later but not after that.

I hope something else didn't eat it, but I suspect it did.

M.

Sorry, I meant to say that some wasps stung me yesterday and finding that huge mantis (which I put in my garden) soothed the stings a little.

[apl68]

Meanwhile, in North Little Rock an 85-pound tortoise has escaped from her home, been recaptured--and escaped again!

An 85-pound African spurred tortoise that escaped from her owner's backyard in North Little Rock on Thursday has been found.

Chelsea Hattaway said a neighbor who lives half a mile away called on Sunday after reading a newspaper article about Potato, her 14-year-old tortoise, being on the lam.The neighbor found Potato trying to cross the Young Road overpass over Interstate 40. He kept the tortoise in a shed for a couple of days before realizing who the owner was.

"She ate two watermelons while she was there," said Hattaway.

Hattaway said Potato escaped on Thursday by pushing through a gate that was loosely padlocked.

After being returned on Sunday, Potato did it again, pushing her way through another backyard gate that was supposed to be tied shut.

"We are looking now at replacing our entire fencing operations," said Hattaway.

More at:


https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2021/aug/17/85-pound-african-tortoise-makes-a-run-for-it/?news


She was found the second time on the side of Interstate 40, stopping traffic.

[apl68]

Joy in the evening
Fireflies sparking here and there
Even as it rains

[apl68]

While I walk along
A crunching beneath my foot
A spent cicada

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Has anyone ever eaten Creeping Cucumber (Melothria pendula)? They're growing wild on our campus and delicious!

Careful- only eat the light green ones.

[Parasaurolophus]

Saw a grey whale from the ferry this afternoon, which was exciting!

[apl68]

Saw a grey whale from the ferry this afternoon, which was exciting!

Congratulations on your sighting!

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Saw a beautiful male Eastern box turtle in my backyard this morning (it's a pretty rustic/woodsy yard).

[mamselle]

No swans (although they must be around because there's freshly plucked white feathers in one of the areas where they make their bedding) and I think the geese have mostly migrated away.

Several ducks here and there, but not in their usual places from the summer.

But I saw the juvenile heron I've seen before, first flying under the bridge (the Nathaniel Parker/Neil Dudgeon film "Piece of Cake" comes to mind) and later out on a sandspit doing his rotary hard-stare thing.

And before this AM I'd never ever seen a black heron.

That was cool.

M.

[nebo113]

M.....This:  black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) ??

[mamselle]

M.....This:  black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) ??

I think so.

No wingspreading going on, but the silhouette is right.

Thanks!

M.

[sinenomine]

I just saw a bear wandering across the road — we both gave each other a long stare.

[mamselle]

I just saw a bear wandering across the road — we both gave each other a long stare.

Jaw-drop.

Also, this children's song comes to mind, glad it's not what happened to you!

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdmV7VFDWqk

;--}

M.

[apl68]

Wild hogs have invaded Mom and Dad's property.  Fortunately they have had no face-to-face encounters so far.

[mamselle]

Yikes, those are scary beasts.

M.