Backyard Wildlife

[schlaugh]

Okay, selective pressure for the trait makes sense to me, although I've never seen a melanistic red squirrel as dark as this fox.

Interesting to me was the fact that this fox spent a lot of time over a five day period hanging out in my yard. Much of the time was spent rolled into a ball and sleeping in the same spot as in those photos. I observed years ago that bears will often find a spot to nap and then return to it daily for about a week. I guess like humans, other species can come to enjoy a particular place.

Then I'm weird too, because that's what I saw at first.

All it needs is laser beams on its head.

[PetersCreek]

What you posted:

What I saw at first glance:

[Trebuchet]

I've certainly read speculation that the melanistic morphs of red fox and various tree squirrels persist at more northerly latitudes because they have a thermal advantage. I've certainly yet to see a melanistic squirrel or fox in Scotland, where our winters below the tree-line generally don't get much below freezing for any long period of time.

Grant Hutchison

Loads of black squirrels in Vancouver, BC. It doesn't get very cold there, either.

[Roger E. Moore]

I know my brain is weird, and the line over the shark is the water line, but to me this sign looks like a cross between a shark and a heliocopter.

My exact thought.

[Swift]

Loads of black squirrels in Vancouver, BC. It doesn't get very cold there, either.

Black squirrels are quite common in Northeast Ohio and have been increasing in numbers, so it would seem there might be some sort of advantage.

Cleveland.com

Black squirrels have long been iconic in the Kent area, and wildlife experts say there is evidence to suggest they’re becoming more common elsewhere in Northeast Ohio.

But the lack of available data on the subject makes it difficult to determine why, experts said.

Kent State University recognizes the elusive critter as its unofficial mascot and holds an annual black squirrel festival that features food trucks, music and student organizations. The university celebrated 50 years of black squirrels on campus back in 2011, and also hosts an annual 5k race named after the critter.

...

Information on the dark-furred rodents is limited because, contrary to popular belief, black squirrels aren’t a unique species. They’re simply a mutated variant of the eastern gray or fox squirrels, which are both common in Ohio, Cleveland Metroparks naturalist Jeff Riebe said.

The squirrels’ black pelt is the result of a rare genetic hiccup that can occur in any gray or fox squirrel, he said.

...

The minimal research available on the black form of the gray and fox squirrels speculates that subtle changes in habitat could contribute to an increase in their population. This research, conducted by the American Society of Mammalogists, also suggests that its dark color could make it more resistant to cold, consequently increasing the population farther north, Smith said.

The black hue of the squirrel’s fur might allow it to blend in with shaded areas and afford protection from predators such as coyotes, foxes and red-tailed hawks. Many forests in Northeast Ohio are becoming older, causing the canopy to grow larger and shade greater portions of the woods, he said.

[Extravoice]

I know my brain is weird, and the line over the shark is the water line, but to me this sign looks like a cross between a shark and a heliocopter.

Tonight’s movie on SyFy, “SharkCopter”.

[ozduck]

I know my brain is weird, and the line over the shark is the water line, but to me this sign looks like a cross between a shark and a heliocopter.

Thank goodness someone else sees that! Every time I look at that shark symbol my first thought is that is a strangely shaped helicopter. Perhaps it could be used in one of those idiotic "Sharknado" films?

Edit: It seems to be somewhat common thought - does this mean we are all weird?

[Trebuchet]

Thank goodness someone else sees that! Every time I look at that shark symbol my first thought is that is a strangely shaped helicopter. Perhaps it could be used in one of those idiotic "Sharknado" films?

Edit: It seems to be somewhat common thought - does this mean we are all weird?

They'd have done better to depict the water surface with a wavy line!

I've been wondering what type of shark. If the water is partly fresh, as seems likely, bull sharks would be a possibility.

[SeanF]

They'd have done better to depict the water surface with a wavy line!

They did. It's just not easily visible at the resolution of the posted photo.

[Swift]

Edit: It seems to be somewhat common thought - does this mean we are all weird?

We are a bunch of nerds that like science, astronomy, and space flight, and can quote HGTTG and Monty Python from memory....
I'll leave the answer as an exercise for the students.

[Trebuchet]

They did. It's just not easily visible at the resolution of the posted photo.

Oh, I see. But the waves under the swimmer are clearly visible, they should have used bigger ones!

[PetersCreek]

Meanwhile, at Target...

[Torsten]

They look in good shape. And chowing down on aspen or other woody twigs. It always amazes me how they can eat that stuff all winter and come out the other side okay.

[PetersCreek]

Probably one our year-round residents. Roughly 700-1000 moose overwinter in the “Anchorage Bowl.”

[Trebuchet]

Probably one our year-round residents. Roughly 700-1000 moose overwinter in the “Anchorage Bowl.”

Probably kind of like our abundant deer.
No predators, can't be hunted in populated areas, and people intentionally plant stuff they like to eat. Pretty much deer heaven.

[Solfe]

I took the dog outside and we encountered 2 or 3 deer at the back of the garage. The were happily eating the lilac bush when we interrupted. They continued to chew on branches as the dog tried to get them to play. They didn't want to play with us and took of running. The funny thing is they bounded out of the yard in 5 jumps, across 2 backyards in 10 more jumps but stopped at the street and used the sidewalk to make their escape. They met up with the other deer at the corner and off they went.

[Jim]

I took my dog outside and we encountered a lizard ... a green anole.

Yeah, big deal, right? Well, this anole hangs out around the downspout that runs beside the backyard gate. Brody has seen it several times and looks for it when we go to the gate. Which is what he did the other day. And while he was looking for the anole, it jumped from above and landed on the top of Brody's head. It sat there - unnoticed - for about three seconds before leaping into the bushes and escaping, also unnoticed as Brody was fixated on the downspout.

[Swift]

I took my dog outside and we encountered a lizard ... a green anole.

Yeah, big deal, right? Well, this anole hangs out around the downspout that runs beside the backyard gate. Brody has seen it several times and looks for it when we go to the gate. Which is what he did the other day. And while he was looking for the anole, it jumped from above and landed on the top of Brody's head. It sat there - unnoticed - for about three seconds before leaping into the bushes and escaping, also unnoticed as Brody was fixated on the downspout.

Too bad you didn't get a video.

[grant hutchison]

A little flock of yellowhammers blew through today--birds that won't be familiar to those in North America. They're lovely little things:




Grant Hutchison

[PetersCreek]

Handsome little birds, indeed. They remind me of our little Yellow and Wilson’s warblers that I’m fond of.

[Trebuchet]

Handsome little birds, indeed. They remind me of our little Yellow and Wilson’s warblers that I’m fond of.

Warblers, you say. But then there's this:

Woke up to this:





As good as it is, we weren’t sure how my wife’s car would fare on our unplowed hill after 16 inches of snow. So I took the day off and drove her to work.

Penguins. You obviously have only penguins.

[PetersCreek]

Only in the zoo.

[Nowhere Man]

Mrs. Nowhere set up a window-mounted bird feeder for the amusement of our cat. This was our first (known) customer.



You can see the damage to the screen where he climbed up.

Fred

[Swift]

Mrs. Nowhere set up a window-mounted bird feeder for the amusement of our cat. This was our first (known) customer.



You can see the damage to the screen where he climbed up.

Fred

Completely unsurprised, since our bird feeder is occupied by those furry birds almost as much as it is occupied by feathered birds.
Still the cat seems amused either way.

[Nicolas]

Speaking of cats, we don't have any. But all the neighbourhood cats visit our yard daily. Fine by me, keeps the house mouse-free almost as effectively as burning your lot down. Anyway, one of the neighbourhood cats took refuge on our trampoline (first thing to dry in the morning) about a year ago. I soon saw why: she had hurt one of her front paws. She rested there a few days and was good to go again. A few months later: same cat, same story. This week: same cat, same story. Either this cat has an issue with its front paw, or it is a really clumsy cat. She's getting better now, still not 100% but starting to regain her mobility. And lo and behold, mrs Evel Knievel found it wise in her half-cripled state to climb a high fence and try to jump from there onto a tall garden shed. Which in the end she didn't do as it was a bit too much for three and a half paws. But looking at that behaviour in her current state, I'd bet on the cat being overzealous/clumsy rather than having a medical condition.

[Trebuchet]

We acquired a "squirrel proof" bird feeder quite a few years ago. It was a plastic bowl for the seed, with a plastic dome that came down over it, with a gap for the birdies to get through. At some peril to life an limb, I installed a hook at the very corner of the roof of our house, leaning way out over the deck to do so. No way a squirrel could get there.
The next day the seed bowl was full of gray fur. I think they figured it out faster than the birds. Who are, after all, birdbrains.

The birds later got even. My wife started feeding the squirrels peanuts. That also attracted Stellar's Jays. They could take two at a time, half-swallowing one and taking the other in the beak. Being quite smart birdbrains, they took to rapping on the sliding door when they wanted more.

[Swift]

The birds later got even. My wife started feeding the squirrels peanuts. That also attracted Stellar's Jays. They could take two at a time, half-swallowing one and taking the other in the beak. Being quite smart birdbrains, they took to rapping on the sliding door when they wanted more.

Jays are corvids (same family as ravens and crows and magpies) and are very smart.

[The Backroad Astronomer]

Right now there are over a dozen deer in the backfield and I didn't see them because I have a picture deer in front my window.

[PetersCreek]

After shoveling the walk and shoveling the deck (wet, heavy snow) I shoveled my way out to the storage shed to retrieve the game camera. There's quite the load of snow on the roof and when it slides off, I didn't want it to take out the camera. The camera has been obscured by deep snow for quite some time, so I didn't expect to see anything worthwhile on the memory card. I was wrong. Just over a month ago, we finally got our snowshoe hare on camera in his winter phase (11 sec):



Huzzah!

[ozduck]

On our ride this morning we went past a golf course about 6 km from home. A mob of kangaroos have lived there for years, they love the grass, and today one looked like he had come through a hole in the fence and forgotten were it was - they are not the smartest of animals. This course is about 21 km from the centre of Perth and with the urban sprawl these days is pretty much in the inner suburbs.