Random Acts of Living


Monday, July 21, 2008

Wildlife in My Yard

These are photos that I have taken on various days recently. Below is a turkey vulture that was circling over my block. Must have been slim pickins out in the country for it to come looking in the city. It didn't hang around long.
This is a paper wasp getting ready to take wood fibers from the pallet back to it's hive. I've had an unusually large number of these around this year. I've read that they are natural predators for beetles and things that do damage to the garden, but I've had a couple of grandsons stung by these so I've been knocking them down when I find them. What a dilemma.
I don't know what this little bug is, I've see quite a few of them around. The picture isn't focused real well because the little guy just didn't want to stand still.
One morning I was surprised to find this baby bird in my garden. It just sat there while I walked all the way around it and then came in for a closeup. I turned my back on it to pick lettuce and when I looked back it was gone. No clue as to where it went.
This was a really strange spider. When it sat still it pulled it's legs in next to it. I tapped beside it with a stick and got it to run, looked like your average spider, but then it stopped and pulled in it's leg.
Now this next one is really strange. I've taken this picture with the macro lens, the bug is only actually about 1/4 inch long. It has wings on it's back that stand up at right angle to it's body and look like one circular piece. My grandson found this bug crawling around on the down locus tree.
Remember the gold fly? Now here's a green one. This was in my pool filter, so it was dead when I found it.
Had to get a shot of the full moon, it was a brilliant orange that night.
This bird is a Mockingbird and often sits on top of the utility pool while I'm in the garden and sings and chatters and just makes all sorts of noise.
This is one of the two bunnies that dine on my lawn. I think this might be the female. The other bunny is a bit larger and more colorful. They seem to be letting me get closer to them before they run.
And finally a beautiful overcast sky with a mixture of light and dark.

7 comments:

KSHIPPYCHIC said...

You sure have your share of nature there!! I found a beetle the other day that hissed when I touched it's back. It was so cool, but flew away. I love your shade house - your family is so lucky to have such a great place to hang out! :)

Anita said...

Great shots...
Our mild winter sure has created a great climate for lots of extra insects this year... although, out here in FEMAville, with barely any green, no flowers, and no trees we don't have many

Moonshadow said...

HIPPYCHIC, Was it this one...
http://www.gpnc.org/cwoodborer.htm
or this one...
http://bugguide.net/node/view/32138
The fist one I used to see on the poplar trees a lot.

You do know you can bring your kids and come play in my pool, rest in my shade house and we can BBQ and watch a movie, right? Just let me know when.

Anita - maybe too mild, I could do without some of the bugs I'm seeing. My garden is being invaded by cucumber beetles right now and I saw my first squash bug this morning. I shouldn't have killed all those paper wasps. Live and learn.

Bob Johnson said...

I love your shots, especially the Moon,lol.

Brenda said...

Isn't it amazing what we find when we take a closer look?

Anita said...

It does help to remember which ones are on our side.. :)

Moonshadow said...

Bob - of course "especially the Moon". : )

Brenda - that's why I really love my new camera, my old digital wouldn't focus on the little critters.

Anita - I have to learn which ones are on our side first. I didn't realize they were beneficial till after I'd already knocked down all their nests. I also read that the mail wasps don't have stingers.