Critters you see while smoking your cigar?

[jwr0201]

Raccoons galore, skunks, possums, armadollos, fox, black racers, geckos, anoles, pelicans, gulls, herons, hawks, eagles, scrub jays, parrots, snook, mullet, manatee, dolphins, crabs, the occasional shark, loads of misc suburban birds.  

[dangolf18]

You know, the usual...chupacabra, black mambas, yettis. In all seriousness just have squirrels and birds.

[joeruby]

I live 6 km from Melbourne CBD, as soon as the sun has set, they come flying high and flying low, rustling in my fig tree and swooping in my back yard..

Fruit Bats, by the hundreds..   

 

 

 

[JoeyGunz]

My Dog,

A Robin,

Pidgeon.

Be lucky to get a Squirrel and a Butterfly.

[planetary]

Most often:

• turkeys
• deer
• jackrabbits
• hawks and other predator birds

Frequently:

• owls
• lizards, such as the Western Fence Lizard
• hummingbirds
• quail
• lots of other small birds I cannot identify

Sometimes:

• coyotes
• raccoons
• mice
• garter snakes

Rarely:

• bobcats

[Dmpotocek]

Blue Crabs
Hawks
Crown nose ray
Sea gulls
And this handsome fella...



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[UpInSmoak]

On 2/4/2017 at 10:27 PM, Ken Gargett said:

from the balcony, all manner of creatures at times.

large goannas

water dragons

fresh water turtles (including one which used to climb a fallen tree (still on a steeper slope than 45 degrees) and then leap into the water from about ten foot. never seen anything like him before or since).

various hawks

various parrots and cockatoos

cormorants

kookaburras

cane toads

deer

possums

huntsman spiders

carpet pythons

eastern browns

tree and whip snakes and occasionally keelbacks swimming around

various spiders

ayala

eels

eel-tailed catfish

platypus (once)

and so on - a regular david attenborough feast here.

Ken, I have watched many reviews where all we see is your screen door (Bruce playing behind it), the balcony railing and few water containers. ?I've always been curious to see what the view is from your perspective.  The animal/bird noises we sometimes hear off your deck are incredible. If you are inclined to show I'm sure there are plenty of members who would love to see!

[rickthecabbie]

On 2/5/2017 at 8:35 PM, dangolf18 said:

You know, the usual...chupacabra, black mambas, yettis.

I want the box code and year of those "cigars."

[Sean3]

On 2/5/2017 at 11:35 PM, dangolf18 said:

You know, the usual...chupacabra, black mambas, yettis. In all seriousness just have squirrels and birds.

Damn Yetis!

[planetary]

Just now, Sean3 said:

Damn Yetis!

They get into the trash.  PITA

[Sean3]

1 minute ago, planetary said:

They get into the trash.  PITA

[Williamos]

It's a menagerie here too.  Check out this poor fella, a frequent visitor.  It's a sulphur-crested cockatoo with a whopping over bite.  These are seed eating birds whose upper mandible grows and grinds off on the lower mandible in the natural course of grinding seeds.  It appears it's missing the part of the lower mandible that grinds off the upper mandible which in turn is growing unchecked.  I've tried to catch it to help it out but no way will it let that happen.  It has developed an idiosyncratic side-headed eating style.  I love this bird.  A true survivor.

[El Presidente]

On 2/5/2017 at 9:21 PM, Jeremy Festa said:

 kookaburras (who laugh with me and not at me) 

 

....they will learn 

[Fugu]

10 hours ago, Williamos said:

It's a menagerie here too.  Check out this poor fella, a frequent visitor.  It's a sulphur-crested cockatoo with a whopping over bite.  These are seed eating birds whose upper mandible grows and grinds off on the lower mandible in the natural course of grinding seeds.  It appears it's missing the part of the lower mandible that grinds off the upper mandible which in turn is growing unchecked.  I've tried to catch it to help it out but no way will it let that happen.  It has developed an idiosyncratic side-headed eating style.  I love this bird.  A true survivor.

Yet tried to contact experts? They should have the necessary equipment for catching that bird.

[xtcat9k]

A family of three owls living in a palm tree in the neighbor's yard. I'm usually out back smoking at night, so I hear and see them flying around looking for dinner. 

There was a squirrel that I always saw running along my fence that lived in another neighbor's palm tree. Haven't seen it in a while. Perhaps the owls got to it. 

[PigFish]

14 hours ago, Williamos said:

It's a menagerie here too.  Check out this poor fella, a frequent visitor.  It's a sulphur-crested cockatoo with a whopping over bite.  These are seed eating birds whose upper mandible grows and grinds off on the lower mandible in the natural course of grinding seeds.  It appears it's missing the part of the lower mandible that grinds off the upper mandible which in turn is growing unchecked.  I've tried to catch it to help it out but no way will it let that happen.  It has developed an idiosyncratic side-headed eating style.  I love this bird.  A true survivor.

... great story!

 

My surrogate dad used to have a one legged road runner in his yard. He would feed the critter 'rib bones' and that kept him alive for quite some time. He used to come into the house looking for scraps and he would generally be obliged.

-Piggy

[oside]

While herfing at my friends place I've seen a couple rats.  They have a lot fallen fruit that rats seem to love.  I've seen a flock of green macaws fly around my neighborhood in San Diego.

[smll2]

I was on patio having a cigar and talking on the phone. My friend didn't believe me when I told him a bear just climbed over the fence and was getting into my trash...

[PlatypusMaximus]

I live just outside Park City, UT. We have deer everywhere in my community ... and I'm more surprised if I DON'T see any deer off my back porch while smoking. Although it doesn't happen too often, we also get Elk and Moose coming by for a visit. Love seeing those big guys!!

It's crazy how used to humans that they have all gotten around here too. Word must have gotten out in the animal community that hunting isn't allowed in the residential areas ... because they just hang around and gawk back at us. Either that, or they must like what I'm smoking and want to get close for the nice aromas!!

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[Williamos]

Yet tried to contact experts? They should have the necessary equipment for catching that bird.

Spoke to a local vet who reckons there's little point clipping its beak as it is missing part of the lower beak and it will return very quickly to how it was. It seems to be making do ok by itself.

I occasionally have an echidna scurry past. My favourite animal I shared veranda cigar smoking time with was a very old Eastern Grey Kangaroo I named Schimma after the great North Melbourne footballer Wayne Schimmelbusch. Schimma was an ex alpha male that would have finally lost a fight to an up and coming younger male, and having lost alpha status, exiled from the mob to see out his days in solitude. Schimma looked like a street brawler, cuts and gashes and a big hunk of one ear missing. He was as big a kangaroo as I've seen.

He'd lay out on the grass, snort and scratch his balls like he owned the place. A great smoking companion. Then one day he stopped showing up. Reckon he died peacefully in the shade of a tree or by writing off someone's Land Cruiser.


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[Jeremy Festa]

....they will learn 

You're probably right


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[Fugu]

37 minutes ago, Williamos said:

Spoke to a local vet who reckons there's little point clipping its beak as it is missing part of the lower beak and it will return very quickly to how it was. It seems to be making do ok by itself.

The problem I see at this moment, as you describe it above, the bill has no chance anymore of wearing off its upper part. I am not quite clear about what exactly you mean by "missing a part". But that should grow / have grown back as well by now.

I suspect, most probably the lower mandible had been injured/broken off, and by the time the lower part grew back in place the upper one had already grown too long. So, there might still be a chance to remedy this by thoroughly clipping the upper beak. Best would probably be to keep the bird for some time under controlled conditions in captivity and to check beak growth on a regular base. Perhaps you could check with local ornithologists or whether there is a wildlife rescue station or the likes near your place? Or perhaps touch base with your local Biology-Department of Perth University.

Untreated, the animal will eventually die from this. It may still be able to feed right now, but finally when touching its breast the beak will start causing lesions and force the bird to adopt an annatural posture. Ok, that's nature, one may say, so be it. But I guess there may be a rather simple way to try and help this creature.

[Williamos]

The problem I see at this moment, as you describe it above, the bill has no chance anymore of wearing off its upper part. I am not quite clear about what exactly you mean by "missing a part". But that should grow / have grown back as well by now.

I suspect, most probably the lower mandible had been injured/broken off, and by the time the lower part grew back in place the upper one had already grown too long. So, there might still be a chance to remedy this by thoroughly clipping the upper beak. Best would probably be to keep the bird for some time under controlled conditions in captivity and to check beak growth on a regular base. Perhaps you could check with local ornithologists or whether there is a wildlife rescue station or the likes near your place? Or perhaps touch base with your local Biology-Department of Perth University.

Untreated, the animal will eventually die from this. It may still be able to feed right now, but finally when touching its breast the beak will start causing lesions and force the bird to adopt an annatural posture. Ok, that's nature, one may say, so be it. But I guess there may be a rather simple way to try and help this creature.

I'll look into it to see if something can be done.


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[HarveyBoulevard]

5 minutes ago, Williamos said:

I'll look into it to see if something can be done.


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If you don't, Jeremy will try to eat it.  Just think of those poor cute quail he is scarfing down.

...gotta go, my hamburger just got here.

[Fugu]

 

Every once in a while moly decides it's time the garden needs some scarifying. You just have to love him (read: his family), otherwise .... 

Seems this is our Underground Network....