Backyard Chronicles

So I just got moved into a new home and it's out in the sticks. Critters are everywhere. We're loving the place. I figured I'd create a thread dedicated to the wildlife that we encounter here on the new property.

I've threw out some goodies free for the taking. So far I've had crows, brown thrashers, possums, squirrels, raccoons and deer. I'm looking forward to drawing more wildlife to the property and hopefully getting some nice pics.

By the way, I'm situated within minutes of at least 4 rivers.....

I'm going to keep this thread rolling while updating it periodically.

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Added some things. Few bird feeders and houses. Tons of wildlife here. Carolina wrens, American robins, bluebirds and lots of others have visited us already. The feeding staton pictured is complete with a rain gauge and thermometer. Black oil sunflower seed, thistle and a couple types of suet for now. Much more to come.

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Ironically a few minutes after my previous post my wife looked out the kitchen window and this deer was checking us out.

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Come spring time after the threat of frost has passed I'm thinking of planting sunflowers around the property for the birds. I done this once at a past residence, anybody else done this? Thoughts?

This morning:

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Had several critters out and about when I got home this evening. Possums, raccoons and deer.

I am jealous. Love feeding wildlife, but it drawz bears here and ya get fined for feeding them. And I am talking about bird seed and suet blocks. No go where we live.

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Originally Posted by huntinslabs

I am jealous. Love feeding wildlife, but it drawz bears here and ya get fined for feeding them. And I am talking about bird seed and suet blocks. No go where we live.

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You can't even put out bird feed? For the birds? What? Dang, no good. I figure I've got bears somewhere just haven't seen any yet.

No bird feed, supposed to keep garbage cans inside garage, cant feed dogs and cats outdoors. I will not keep my rank garbage inside, but will follow the rest as I already have been visited once by FWC and warned.

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Originally Posted by huntinslabs

No bird feed, supposed to keep garbage cans inside garage, cant feed dogs and cats outdoors. I will not keep my rank garbage inside, but will follow the rest as I already have been visited once by FWC and warned.

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Wow. So nobody sales bird feeders/seed and whatnot anywhere? Sounds crazy but I guess bears must be a real problem there then.

Handy and neat site:

Natural Log Feeder - A Green Way to Feed the Birds

Keep a .22 handy for skunks because once they find easy pickings, they have a hotline and every skunk within 50 miles is gonna show up.

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Originally Posted by BuckeyeKdog

Keep a .22 handy for skunks because once they find easy pickings, they have a hotline and every skunk within 50 miles is gonna show up.

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I have no problem with skunks. I just don't want to be sprayed. I have been soaked by one. Sucks really bad. Lots of times when shooting a skunk it sprays.....no good. Id rather have them visit and leave. Lol

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Originally Posted by wademaster

Wow. So nobody sales bird feeders/seed and whatnot anywhere? Sounds crazy but I guess bears must be a real problem there then.

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No they sell it everywhere and lots feed birds and wildlife. But as soon as a bear shows you are considered in a bear zone and must stop. One block away is still ok. In fact last night the bear came down our street and wreaked havoc on evrryones garbage cans again. What a mess they make.

More deer this morning. Surprisingly, I seen no deer last night when I stayed up to see the meteor shower. Seen some activity in the sky though. Cool stuff.

Today I added a hanging waterer/bath for the birds, a platform feeder and also a small bird house in the edge of the woods. I rescued the cedar house from Lowes Hardware for half price. I'll take it.

I can't wait to get a better camera.

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Man that is a beautiful place you have there.

The usual critters lately. The birds have started to frequent the feeding station a little more comfortably. The last few days have yielded gold finches, juncos, titmice, bluejays, cardinals, and flickers. I've also seen the everyday crows and grackles around the yard. Song sparrows and other wood peckers have been an almost daily sight in the morning as I leave for work.

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dont know why they keep loading sideways. Her cub is just out of screen on top right. One of our neighborhood visitors.

Awesome!

They are a neat animal. Rather see em in the woods than our subdivision. But we are continuously encroaching on them so it is inevitable.