Birds and other Animals

I hugged a dolphin in the Bahamas this week. 10/10. No matter how blackened your heart is, it's sunshine and rainbows hugging a dolphin.

Obviously that was a sanctioned excursion. Natural habitat, one of the most random encounters happened at my last house. I used to live right next to the storm drain tube in my neighborhood. My house was pretty steep uphill from it, but one very rainy day a snapping turtle ventured up and rested in my front yard.

That house backed into a wooded green space. I'd get garter snakes in my back porch retaining walls. Some very vibrant spiders too... big fat orange and yellow orb weavers.
 
oxat622 said:
I hugged a dolphin in the Bahamas this week. 10/10. No matter how blackened your heart is, it's sunshine and rainbows hugging a dolphin.

Obviously that was a sanctioned excursion. Natural habitat, one of the most random encounters happened at my last house. I used to live right next to the storm drain tube in my neighborhood. My house was pretty steep uphill from it, but one very rainy day a snapping turtle ventured up and rested in my front yard.

That house backed into a wooded green space. I'd get garter snakes in my back porch retaining walls. Some very vibrant spiders too... big fat orange and yellow orb weavers.
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Only in the wild......

saw a bunch of animals but the one that likely sticks out was a wolf off in the distance while at Yellow Stone. Got a close up with a large gator while on a river in Louisiana. About the only thing I haven't seen that is native to the states is a bear though three did walk directly in front of the car but I was asleep at the time and did not see them.
 
eastisbest said:
Sometimes you can tell can't you? When you've found someone not just trying to drum up business but make your experience like no other. Had a couple dive masters like that and they were always independent, not part of some big company. Own boat. Own family helping out. As soon as you were on boat, you were family. Which generally meant, you had a chore, lol.
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You hit it. I actually bait and gaff. I've caught enough fish and enjoy watching my son's and wife catch them. We always return with a bunch of fish. He knows what we want and we know what he wants. Pay cash and tip big for a great experience. But, the experience is about more than just money. I have his captains cell and consider him a friend. He is very very good at his craft. Dive Masters are the same. Imo
 
Was walking the Appalachian Trail years ago. They have strategic sleep cabins along the way that are small three sided log cabins with a chain link fence on the open end. Woke up to a Black Bear messing with the fence as he smelled food. Another hiker got up and dosed him with some homemade pepper spray, he left, but returned about 20 minutes later. Dosed again and never returned. Never saw a Bobcat or Mountain Lion in the wild although I've wanted to. I think? Very elusive and nocturnal animals. Selective breeding over the years has helped that. People tell me you could walk right by either in the wild and never know it.

I posted this on another thread recently but I had never seen a Pileated Woodpecker until recently. At the local park. It is a very impressive bird. The way it walks and maneuvers around a trunk for its size (it is a big bird, much bigger than other woodpeckers). And its peck against the wood of a tree is intense and sounds like a baseball bat hitting a tree trunk.

 
irish_buffalo said:
Was walking the Appalachian Trail years ago. They have strategic sleep cabins along the way that are small three sided log cabins with a chain link fence on the open end. Woke up to a Black Bear messing with the fence as he smelled food. Another hiker got up and dosed him with some homemade pepper spray, he left, but returned about 20 minutes later. Dosed again and never returned. Never saw a Bobcat or Mountain Lion in the wild although I've wanted to. I think? Very elusive and nocturnal animals. Selective breeding over the years has helped that. People tell me you could walk right by either in the wild and never know it.

I posted this on another thread recently but I had never seen a Pileated Woodpecker until recently. At the local park. It is a very impressive bird. The way it walks and maneuvers around a trunk for its size (it is a big bird, much bigger than other woodpeckers). And its peck against the wood of a tree is intense and sounds like a baseball bat hitting a tree trunk.

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A noise drew me to look out a woodpile in my yard to see a pileated judge destroying a piece of rotted wood, with pieces flying everywhere.

I've been checking the whether there on my Blink cameras as I am out of town. In the heart of this storm, the birds have been attracted to the cameras. I suspect they're looking for any source of warmth.
 
I'd like to know what type of critter chewed a hole through the lid of my garbage bin. This is about a 1/4 inch thick plastic. Never had a problem in the ten years (or more) since they gave us these bings but sometime early in the week I guess. Don't think there was even anything delectable in the bin, unless they like coffee grounds.
 
eastisbest said:
I'd like to know what type of critter chewed a hole through the lid of my garbage bin. This is about a 1/4 inch thick plastic. Never had a problem in the ten years (or more) since they gave us these bings but sometime early in the week I guess. Don't think there was even anything delectable in the bin, unless they like coffee grounds.
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You sure you weren't just sleep walking again? With your appetite...
 
Anybody ever relocated skunks? Cover the cage with plastic tarp. Cut it up to cover tightly. Must cover spring door that shuts. Make sure to cut slit for cage handle. Load in back of pick up and relocate. Open spring door and skunk will go on his way. I don't want to shoot them and neither do my neighbors. Actually caught 2 young ones at one time.
 
eastisbest said:
I'd like to know what type of critter chewed a hole through the lid of my garbage bin. This is about a 1/4 inch thick plastic. Never had a problem in the ten years (or more) since they gave us these bings but sometime early in the week I guess. Don't think there was even anything delectable in the bin, unless they like coffee grounds.
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Chipmunks. Destructive little varmints.
 
clarkgriswold said:
Chipmunks. Destructive little varmints.
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I might think that, we have them. Hole seems a bit big. Chipmunks I think would have chewed only enough to get in. I've not seen any raccoon here before. That's not on my guess list. The hole is about 3in diameter on the top corner of the lid. Being on top, I was wondering if the deer? It was before the snow, no tracks to help ID.
 
I enjoy wrestling said:
Anybody ever relocated skunks? Cover the cage with plastic tarp. Cut it up to cover tightly. Must cover spring door that shuts. Make sure to cut slit for cage handle. Load in back of pick up and relocate. Open spring door and skunk will go on his way. I don't want to shoot them and neither do my neighbors. Actually caught 2 young ones at one time.
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Only ever heard of trapping them and then shooting them with a .22. I've never done but seems to be the recipe around here.

I had one under my deck several years ago and an old timer said to spread some human hair and pepper around any opening and they will leave. It worked.
 
I enjoy wrestling said:
Anybody ever relocated skunks? Cover the cage with plastic tarp. Cut it up to cover tightly. Must cover spring door that shuts. Make sure to cut slit for cage handle. Load in back of pick up and relocate. Open spring door and skunk will go on his way. I don't want to shoot them and neither do my neighbors. Actually caught 2 young ones at one time.
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I've accidentaly trapped a few skunks while trying to catch other ferral critters on my property. It's a tricky situation. You need to do the army belly crawl up to the trap and gently place a piece of plywood between you and the skunk. You then, as if you're unarming a mine in 'Nam, carefully raise the trap door and place a long screw driver through the trap so the door stays open. It's okay to breath now and reverse belly crawl to a place of safety. Check the trap an hour later and the skunk should be gone.
 
chs1971 said:
There are a lot more geese, deer, and eagles in Ohio than there were 50 years ago and coyote did not exist.

At the same time there are a lot fewer pheasant, quail, and other stuff.

I think it's got something to do with cell phones, or maybe Title IX.

Something.
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Me thinks it getting rid of DDT
 
chs1971 said:
There are a lot more geese, deer, and eagles in Ohio than there were 50 years ago and coyote did not exist.

At the same time there are a lot fewer pheasant, quail, and other stuff.

I think it's got something to do with cell phones, or maybe Title IX.

Something.
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Rarely saw a deer growing up in the 60-70s in Western Pa. We lived near some forested areas where we played a lot as kids. Now I live in a residential area and see deer all the time in my backyard…also occasional Fox and coyote.
 
The Canada Geese problem is based in part upon development in the USA. Canada Geese are the one waterfowl than can subsist on eating grass. Development = more grass = more geese.
 
clarkgriswold said:
The Canada Geese problem is based in part upon development in the USA. Canada Geese are the one waterfowl than can subsist on eating grass. Development = more grass = more geese.
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correlation, not causation

I'm really not seeing a lot of geese hanging around the yuppie developments. They're hanging out in the parks, that have been there since even I was a kid.

Another correlation: we're no longer allowed to kill them. Similar to the major increase we're seeing in urban stray cats. They used to be a hindrance and a disease spreader. Now they're cute living creatures with a right to live.
 
eastisbest said:
correlation, not causation

I'm really not seeing a lot of geese hanging around the yuppie developments. They're hanging out in the parks, that have been there since even I was a kid.

Another correlation: we're no longer allowed to kill them. Similar to the major increase we're seeing in urban stray cats. They used to be a hindrance and a disease spreader. Now they're cute living creatures with a right to live.
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Those are all factors. I read a study a while back about development's impact on the goose population (turning forest land that they could not use or subsist on into grasslands they could use). Not all necessarily residential neighborhoods. Here's a couple of articles that reference it-

globalnews.ca

The rise of Canada geese: How the birds bounced back from near extinction - National | Globalnews.ca

In recent decades, Canadian geese have been derided as urban pests as the big, black-necked birds overran new habitats across North America, where in some cases, they've taken up residence year-round.
globalnews.ca globalnews.ca

www.ducks.org

Understanding Waterfowl: Story of the Giants | Ducks Unlimited

A closer look at the remarkable comeback of the giant Canada goose
www.ducks.org www.ducks.org
 
eastisbest said:
Another correlation: we're no longer allowed to kill them.
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You can legally shoot 6 a day until sometime in February. We've had an early nuisance season that opens Labor Day weekend, and have for years.

It's not difficult for farmers to get nuisance permits to kill them in the Summer.

Who told you they were protected?
 
Gulliotine said:
You can legally shoot 6 a day until sometime in February. We've had an early nuisance season that opens Labor Day weekend, and have for years.

It's not difficult for farmers to get nuisance permits to kill them in the Summer.

Who told you they were protected?
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I live in the city. I don't think anyone used the word "protected." Just in community meetings where the nuisance has been brought up we were told we couldn't kill them. That would have been a council person I think. Can't even harrass them, if they're on public land, regardless they're attacking people. Maybe that's nonsense? I think I'll look for official law instead of word of mouth but I wouldn't doubt it with how difficult the fight to get even over populating deer and feral cats thinned.
 
eastisbest said:
I live in the city. I don't think anyone used the word "protected." Just in community meetings where the nuisance has been brought up we were told we couldn't kill them. That would have been a council person I think. Can't even harrass them, if they're on public land, regardless they're attacking people. Maybe that's nonsense? I think I'll look for official law instead of word of mouth but I wouldn't doubt it with how difficult the fight to get even over populating deer and feral cats thinned.
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Damn feral cats. Invariably, there's some good intentioned soul feeding them so that they can get healthy to procreate and God forbid they catch them and get them fixed.
 
clarkgriswold said:
Those are all factors. I read a study a while back about development's impact on the goose population (turning forest land that they could not use or subsist on into grasslands they could use). Not all necessarily residential neighborhoods. Here's a couple of articles that reference it-

globalnews.ca

The rise of Canada geese: How the birds bounced back from near extinction - National | Globalnews.ca

In recent decades, Canadian geese have been derided as urban pests as the big, black-necked birds overran new habitats across North America, where in some cases, they've taken up residence year-round.
globalnews.ca globalnews.ca

www.ducks.org

Understanding Waterfowl: Story of the Giants | Ducks Unlimited

A closer look at the remarkable comeback of the giant Canada goose
www.ducks.org www.ducks.org
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they don't correlate the rise of that area over the 5 decades since "extinction" to the rabbit level rise of populations now existing (speaking of any wild that was never seen in the old neighborhoods and is now rapidly climbing). It's seems to me the horse was the rise and the preference of habitat is the cart. I don't see a lot of properties in the burbs (former farms) inundated with geese. It seems more a problem in the city parks, which have always been here.
As forests were razed in favour of commercial crops and manicured lawns and waterfronts, Sharp said Canada geese flocked to these open pastures and “urban refuges” with an abundant supply of food and relatively few predators.
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I see your point here. But I think it's the two together, lack of predator and opportunity, not just the one. I think if they don't start dealing with this, we're going to have the same problem as the Austrailians did with rabbits. Geese are not incapable of a fight. These populations will begin to dominate even coyotes and other preditors and turn green space to dust.
 
I enjoy wrestling said:
Any studies about eating the meat?
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I can tell for sure if these are the same as "Canadian Geese" or if they're just similar. Clark's article calls them "Giant Canadian Geese."

Google says,
Canada geese have a mild flavor that results in good eating; done properly, it resembles lean beef in texture. If they are not prepared properly, overcooking the breast meat is a common mistake, the meat can be tough and almost unpalatable.
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With as many people can't stand these things, me being one, I laugh when I catch myself and others patiently waiting for a long line of them to cross a road. They queue better than the f-in British. People hanging in the park cuss and scream at them because they crap all over the docks, until one goose or even better, a baby, gets friendly and just walks up. Then everyone starts dumping the lunch box and cooing.
 
eastisbest said:
I live in the city. I don't think anyone used the word "protected." Just in community meetings where the nuisance has been brought up we were told we couldn't kill them. That would have been a council person I think. Can't even harrass them, if they're on public land, regardless they're attacking people. Maybe that's nonsense? I think I'll look for official law instead of word of mouth but I wouldn't doubt it with how difficult the fight to get even over populating deer and feral cats thinned.
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You have never been allowed to legally shoot any wild animal in the city limits unless that municipality holds a management hunt. I have no idea what you're confused about here.

Early goose comes in Sept. 3rd and runs for a week. The regular season opens and closes a couple time after that but right now it's in and runs to Feb. 13th in the Southern zone. The daily limit is 5, not 6. So I did misreport that. You can absolutely "harass" them on your property. The state recommends releasing a dog to chase them, or controlled use of a noise cannon.

Learn the law here--

 
bruker said:
I've accidentaly trapped a few skunks while trying to catch other ferral critters on my property. It's a tricky situation. You need to do the army belly crawl up to the trap and gently place a piece of plywood between you and the skunk. You then, as if you're unarming a mine in 'Nam, carefully raise the trap door and place a long screw driver through the trap so the door stays open. It's okay to breath now and reverse belly crawl to a place of safety. Check the trap an hour later and the skunk should be gone.
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Cats?
 
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