# Show Off Your Wildlife Pictures



## Mike at Capra Vista

I occasionally (very occasionally) get lucky with what I think is a pretty good picture of wildlife. Though Vancouver Island has a high density of cougars and black bears, the wildlife I've seen on my farm has been much less dramatic. I'm mostly limited to raccoon, rabbits, squirrels and lots of birds.

I thought it might be fun if people posted wildlife pictures they have taken on their property (or very close).










I see rabbits almost daily on my farm. Caught this guy standing around in a flower bed.


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## Boer Mama

Aren’t you glad you don’t see the cougars on your farm? 😅
I was trying to look back and find the pic of a deer right up in the driveway checking out my yard fence and sniffing around that I took last year, but I couldn’t find it. We always have meadow deer, but this one wasn’t in a hurry to cross the road, just wandering around checking things over. Lol


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## g-oats

Technically the piggies don’t count as wildlife, but I couldn’t resist 😂


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Boer Mama said:


> Aren’t you glad you don’t see the cougars on your farm? 😅


Yes. As much as I would love to add cougars to the wildlife I've seen, I really, really don't want to see one in my goat pasture.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

g-oats said:


> Technically the piggies don’t count as wildlife, but I couldn’t resist 😂


Amazing that you caught a California Quail(?) sleeping.
Some kind of ground squirrel? Great picture.


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## toth boer goats

Nice pics.


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## g-oats

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Amazing that you caught a California Quail(?) sleeping.
> Some kind of ground squirrel? Great picture.


Yes, that one is a female California Quail. It is pretty rare to catch them sleeping, I typically like to photograph them during the early hours of the day or near the end of the day, since that's usually when I get to see them. Although I will say that they are currently in nesting season, so I don't see them very often in general. 

Yup, a ground squirrel. That one, in particular, caused a lot of issues with the chicken feed...unfortunately :/


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## Cedarwinds Farm

g-oats said:


> Technically the piggies don’t count as wildlife, but I couldn’t resist 😂
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Those are some really nice shots!


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## g-oats

Cedarwinds Farm said:


> Those are some really nice shots!


Thank you. I have an old camera that I whip out occasionally. I mostly photograph chickens (they are oddly photogenic!!), but see a decent amount of wildlife here too. Lovin’ the country life! 👩‍🌾

Here’s a few more.


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## Goatastic43

Wow! All those pictures are absolutely gorgeous! I love this thread already! Unfortunately, we don’t get much wildlife activity on our property, except rabbits, birds, and the occasional deer or coyote


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## Cedarwinds Farm

g-oats said:


> Thank you. I have an old camera that I whip out occasionally. I mostly photograph chickens (they are oddly photogenic!!), but see a decent amount of wildlife here too. Lovin’ the country life! 👩‍🌾
> 
> Here’s a few more.
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Love it!


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## happybleats

We dont get many wild animals here...too many dogs and donkeys lol. But we have lots of squirls and every year. These wild ducks come to visit. (Now with bird flu ..not sure that's a good thing 😒) and a few shots when I was in Alaska. The moose and eagle in flight my daughter took.


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## luvmyherd

We do not get much here. Birds, skunks, 'possums, squirrels. There are coyotes but we have never had one on the property.🤞








This is not wild. It is my Turtelini. But we let him play wild in Death Valley last winter.😉


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## toth boer goats

Love the pics.


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## Jessica84

Very pretty pictures you guys! I never have my good camera so I don’t have any that can be made out……except for these three
























The first one was a baby bunny that was trying to run into a brush pile we were burning. 
The second the dog found that baby and gave to my daughter. We found the nest and put it back and kept the dog away until they were old enough to leave. And the third I didn’t even see those geese when I took the picture lol I REALLY wish I had my good camera on that one, it would have made such a pretty picture


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## Boer Mama

I found some pretty pictures to add 😊

I located the pic of the deer hanging out in our driveway









followed this guy around when I was supposed to be weeding the garden 😅
















feral kids in the wilderness

























In ID you have to watch out for roaming cows on back roads
















Bailey facing into the wind on a windy day gives her a wild dingo dog appearance 😂


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## Mike at Capra Vista

A few years back I was lucky enough to catch pictures of these owls. In both cases, it was the frantic calling of angry Robins that indicated where the owls were.








Great Horned Owl










Barred Owl


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## KY Goat Girl

All these are taken with a phone camera so not the greatest quality. 








2 deer on the property behind us in KY. 








I was walking the goats and this bird wasn’t flying very well and I was able to catch it. 








2 deer








Groundhog 
The rest of my pictures are from when we lived in TX. 








A deer (red circle) and a coyote (blue circle) we’re right next to each other on our neighbors’ property! You can’t really see the coyote in the picture but you can see him in the video I took. But you can’t post videos. 








A raccoon I caught. I love to set live traps to see what I get and then let the animals go again. Unless they are a varmint that has been causing trouble…..








This is actually from CO. A chipmunk was really interested in our lunch on top of a mountain in CO. 








A praying mantis








A doe with twins. I got to see them grow up because I drove to the back everyday and saw them. 








Another doe I saw everyday.


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## KY Goat Girl

A blue crane is right in the center of the picture. It was in flight so hard to see. Those are fake geese on the right. Lol









The same deer as in the above picture. 

















Elk I got to see while hunting with family in WY. 









A big herd of deer I saw one evening. There were more than just the ones you can see in the pic. 









A roadrunner who liked to come up everyday and attack his reflection.


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## toth boer goats

Beautiful


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## luvmyherd

KY Goat Girl said:


> A raccoon I caught. I love to set live traps to see what I get and then let the animals go again. Unless they are a varmint that has been causing trouble….


We set have-a-heart traps, mostly for 'possums or squirrels. But more often than not; we catch the barn cats or the occasional chicken.🙀


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## Mike at Capra Vista

luvmyherd said:


> .... more often than not; we catch the barn cats or the occasional chicken


Okay, that is just hilarious! Do you catch the same cat more than once?

Many years ago I learned that when doing animal population density surveys using live traps, you have to mark each animal you release. Some individuals tend to be caught repeatedly and would skew the count if not marked. For some, getting free food outweighs the negative memory of being trapped.


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## Boer Mama

I have barn cats, but I still have to set traps for rats. Last year a rat sat on a ledge under my saddle and chewed my ladigo, and all along my stirrup leather. I was not very happy when I saw that!
I did catch him, but the damage was done.
I do not re release the rats…


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## Aozora

Well, it's not so much WHAT is the wildlife that's unusual, but WHERE....

My husband works nights and I work days, and we have separate bathrooms so as to make getting ready for work prep easier. He closed his bathroom door before he left last night to keep the cats out. I didn't hear anything, but the kitchen and my bathroom are on the opposite side of the house from this room. So imagine his surprise when he gets home and goes to go to the bathroom and spots THIS:










Apparently he made a hole in the subfloor. He has been removed and dispatched. We will be spending the weekend under the house....


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## luvmyherd

I freak out enough over 'possums on the porch stealing cat food. One in my bathroom might send me to the fumy farm.




Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Okay, that is just hilarious! Do you catch the same cat more than once?


Most of them learn from one experience but some never figure it out. 
The chickens can never resist but we generally set them after the chickens have gone to bed so that's not a huge problem.


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## luvmyherd

These are from Yellowstone last summer.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Pileated Woodpecker comes by periodically for a treat of suet.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Btw, the previous picture is a so hazy because I took it through a window and the glass balcony railing. He seems to lose his appetite and fly away when I go out on the balcony to take pictures.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

We have lots of frogs. Keeps the snakes happy.


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## luvmyherd

I love the little froggies. When we lived in Hawaii; we would get lasting puddles in the road in the rainy season. They would soon become filled with teeny tiny pollywogs. Then they would be full of teeny tiny froggies. One year the puddles were drying up, so we decided to take the pollywogs and put them in our fish tank. (Thinking to release the froggies when they morphed.)
Long story short, we had Convicts in the tank and they made short work out of eating up all of the pollywogs. It turned them a sharp black and white rather than gray for awhile.

We had a fox last night but no pictures.

Most of our wildlife pictures come from travel like the first grizzly we ever witnessed in the wild:















He was chowing down on an elk. Lousy pictures as he was quite a ways off but we got great view through the spotting scope.

And Bison squaring off with great shows of stirring up dust but no actual contact.


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## toth boer goats

Awesome 👏


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## luvmyherd

More 🦊 evidence this morning!
Thank goodness we have the old rabbit enclosure to lock the chickens in at night.


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## DDFN

Boer Mama said:


> I found some pretty pictures to add 😊
> 
> I located the pic of the deer hanging out in our driveway
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> followed this guy around when I was supposed to be weeding the garden 😅
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> feral kids in the wilderness
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> Bailey facing into the wind on a windy day gives her a wild dingo dog appearance 😂


Love the feral kids in the wild. It's normally so hard to catch them on film 😁


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## happybleats

Where we luve..we dont often see anything exciting..so I live through my daughters sights of wild animals in Alaska
This moose wandered in her back yard lol
I think it's the same moose she often sees lol..but they all look pretty much the same 😅
Then we have a bear and an eagle nest.


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## Tanya

The last of my girls still here. Outside my bedroom window.


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## toth boer goats




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## luvmyherd

Alaska is so awesome. I have never been but my cousin would send me so many pictures of wildlife just wandering through.


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## Aozora

Yesterday, when I was coming home from work, my husband called me to tell me to be careful coming up the driveway. There were two black rat snakes coiled up together. Initially, we thought they were breeding, but when I got home and got out of the car, it became clear that it was two males battling it out. Very dramatic--lots of coiling around each other and shoving. Each kept trying to pin the other male's head to the ground. They were both exactly the same size (close to 5' long) and it was a very even fight. They fought for a good 10min, and didn't even care there were 2 humans hovering (and a car that carefully drove past them).

There's a very good reason we call ourselves Snake & Egg Farm!


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## Boer Mama

I saw my first snakes of the year this week. One in my dads yard, one in mine. They were both bull snakes. We like them and leave them be… they eat mice as well as rattlers. It’s actually been a couple of years since I’ve seen a rattle snake. Last one I saw was a young one my cat was eating!
Here she is sizing up the bull snake, wondering if she should give it a try 😂


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Aozora said:


> They fought for a good 10min,


Was a clear winner declared or did they just decide to quit? Must have been amazing to witness. I wonder if there was a female nearby.

I have see relatively few wild snakes in my life, but I find them interesting. Who would have thought that long tubes of legless meat could be so successful.


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## KY Goat Girl

Those snake pictures give me the creeps.  I walked RIGHT PAST one yesterday. And I _think_ it was a copper head. I don’t see it til after I had walked beside it and it was slithering away.


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## KY Goat Girl

On a better note, I saw a butterfly yesterday. And some kind of lizard. We have a bunch of these lizards with a patterned body and a blue tail. Not sure what they are called.


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## NigerianNewbie

KY Goat Girl said:


> We have a bunch of these lizards with a patterned body and a blue tail. Not sure what they are called.


Blue tailed skinks. And if you catch one, they enjoy the warmth of your hand and will sometimes quietly and peacefully just hang out on your open palm. Other times, they skitter away quick as all get out.


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## luvmyherd

Yep! Blue tailed skink. They make great pets and just love flies. I had 2 in Hawaii that would take them out of my hand.
Thank you to everyone who respects their non-venomous snakes. Even poison ones have their place but not near me nor my animals.
Would have loved to have seen them squaring off like that.
We used to have lots of snakes, usually Gopher and King, but not much these days. Between drought and feral cats; they have moved on.


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## KY Goat Girl

NigerianNewbie said:


> Blue tailed skinks. And if you catch one, they enjoy the warmth of your hand and will sometimes quietly and peacefully just hang out on your open palm. Other times, they skitter away quick as all get out.


I’ve not been able to get near one. They are really fast. I’m also not the kind of person who likes to touch and hold any kind of reptile or amphibian. I will hold and touch a turtle but nothing else like that. I don’t like the feel of frogs or snakes. I did almost forget, I don’t mind holding _tiny_ baby frogs. Like, the ones that have turned into frogs and are past the tadpole stage.


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## MellonFriend

We have a lot of those blue tailed skinks around. They sometimes end up in our house and then our cats try to eat them.😢 Did you know that the adult males loose their blue tail coloring?

Wikipedia picture, not mine.


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## KY Goat Girl

Really? So either the ones I see are females or males who haven’t lost the blue yet? That’s neat!


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## toth boer goats




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## Aozora

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Was a clear winner declared or did they just decide to quit? Must have been amazing to witness. I wonder if there was a female nearby.
> 
> I have see relatively few wild snakes in my life, but I find them interesting. Who would have thought that long tubes of legless meat could be so successful.


Honestly, I walked away after 10 minutes so I didn't see the conclusion. It was really cool, and they were really involved in it, but they were evenly matched and I couldn't see one or another getting an advantage. Snakes tend to take their time on things. They were probably at it for 30min or more, basically until one got tired and gave up. And they're well fed here, so that would take a while lol.

There are definitely females nearby! One summer we used nail polish to mark the snakes we caught, and we marked 5 different individuals. I love having snakes around. Aside from the black rat snakes, we also host a young kingsnake we call Elvis.

I have the biggest black rat snake I've ever seen in my living room in an aquarium--she's probably 6' long, and her head can cover the top of a soda can. We call her Carmen Sandiego because she was stealing 5 eggs a day and refusing to hunt. In that case, you either have to kill them or make a pet of them, and we opted for the latter. (Rehoming elsewhere isn't an option, because it kills them anyway when winter hits and they can't find their usual hibernaculum to wait it out.)
At first, Carmen hated being caged. But in about 6 months, she realized that it was a pretty sweet gig hanging out and playing the peanut gallery in an air-conditioned and heated house and getting hand-fed every week. 
Here's the peanut gallery, showing off after a fresh shed:


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## Boer Mama

@Aozora that’s pretty amazing… I have to admit, not for me tho 😅


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## KY Goat Girl

Idk if I could sleep at night with a snake in my living room.


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## luvmyherd

Beautiful girl! We love snakes around here. All reptiles really.


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## MellonFriend

KY Goat Girl said:


> Really? So either the ones I see are females or males who haven’t lost the blue yet? That’s neat!


Yep! That's how it works! 🙂


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## Boers4ever

Ok I just have to admit. I’m terrified of snakes venomous or not. They all give me the shivers. Which is one of the reasons I have 11 cats… no rats no snakes.


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## KY Goat Girl

Same Boers4ever! We only have one cat right now but in TX we had like 20 at once and never saw a snake anywhere around the “cat territory” but past that you had to be careful.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

This is the closest thing to a large black snake that I have seen here.










Commonly called the yellow-spotted millipede, almond-scented millipede or cyanide millipede, it is common in forests along the Pacific coast of North America. It can exude toxic hydrogen cyanide as a defense.


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## NigerianNewbie

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> it is common in forests along the Pacific coast of North America.


Those type of millipede are so common around here I have more than enough to supply starter kits to anyone that needs them.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

This millipede species is only along the West Coast. There are many other species that look much the same found around the world.

I read that they may be responsible for mulching over half the leaf and needle litter in the forests. Busy guys.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Okay, so the millipede was not so popular. I came across this little guy sunning himself on my 2 day old manure pile.








Garter snakes are the only kind of snakes we have here on the island.


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## happybleats

This handsome fellow was enjoying rhe afternoon shade today.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

It has been a long time since I've seen a cardinal. I saw them periodically in Ontario many years ago. Too bad they are only in the East and South. I think they would do well here on Vancouver Island.

Nice picture.


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## Boer Mama

NigerianNewbie said:


> Those type of millipede are so common around here I have more than enough to supply starter kits to anyone that needs them.


Might make good poultry feed if you start a little farm of them!


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## Boer Mama

This owl was supervising us when we started to build the run in shelter… unfortunately, we dug holes with smaller auger (easier to handle if rocks) and when we went to get the big auger to make holes big enough for power poles, we realized it was left up on the mountain so my run in shelter project is at a stand still until after summer now. (Dad said he figures he’ll need it up there before he can do this project now anyway… missed my opportunity!)









one morning I heard my LGD barking a lot on the other side of the barn while I was out working on cleaning up the pen. Later, I found this raccoon who obviously wasn’t feeling well. Not sure if he was out in the daytime because he wasn’t well, or more likely wasn’t feeling well cus my LGD got ahold of him and gave him internal injuries. We dispatched him since he obviously wasn’t good…


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## Boers4ever

Well Toads is technically a wild animal since my grandmother caught him in the wild years ago. She passed away and now he is my little flying squirrel friend. He didn’t have a name before I got him so I named him Toads because he has really big eyes like a toad. He is awesome!


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## MellonFriend

Boers4ever said:


> Well Toads is technically a wild animal since my grandmother caught him in the wild years ago. She passed away and now he is my little flying squirrel friend. He didn’t have a name before I got him so I named him Toads because he has really big eyes like a toad. He is awesome!


I was wondering how your little man was doing! Has he warmed up to you then?


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## Boers4ever

MellonFriend said:


> I was wondering how your little man was doing! Has he warmed up to you then?


He has! He doesn’t really let me touch him but he takes food from my hand sometimes. I changed his food cause I couldn’t find the one he was on, and he gained a little chubby belly. So he’s on a diet now lol!


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## NigerianNewbie

Boer Mama said:


> Might make good poultry feed if you start a little farm of them!


They send off an awful smell as a method of self-defense and for some reason the lead goat will pound them with his hooves when one makes the mistake of crossing the dry lot. Don't know for sure, could be he thinks all belly crawling creatures need to be stomped senseless, including caterpillars, snakes, earthworms, shell less snails/slugs, and centipedes. He is quite bold and determined in keeping his charges protected from any and all intruders. Hero to the rescue boy. 

I've had to rescue a few large black snakes and dispatch 2 (two) newly hatched copperheads and another about 2 1/2 feet long from the lot. OMG the little copper heads had crawled into the waste hay, slithering out as I scooped the hay up with my hands. (YIKES scared the daylights out of me.) The larger copper head slithered under the gate, the lead goat had to be asked to go to his stall and I locked the door closed while I took care of that one before he had a chance to go after it. 

And he will snort, posture and try to push me and the other goats away to finish what he started when/if the other goats or myself try to intervene or get too close to his perceived threat. Guess he feels the need to defend me also.


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## Boer Mama

NigerianNewbie said:


> They send off an awful smell as a method of self-defense and for some reason the lead goat will pound them with his hooves when one makes the mistake of crossing the dry lot. Don't know for sure, could be he thinks all belly crawling creatures need to be stomped senseless, including caterpillars, snakes, earthworms, shell less snails/slugs, and centipedes. He is quite bold and determined in keeping his charges protected from any and all intruders. Hero to the rescue boy.
> 
> I've had to rescue a few large black snakes and dispatch 2 (two) newly hatched copperheads and another about 2 1/2 feet long from the lot. OMG the little copper heads had crawled into the waste hay, slithering out as I scooped the hay up with my hands. (YIKES scared the daylights out of me.) The larger copper head slithered under the gate, the lead goat had to be asked to go to his stall and I locked the door closed while I took care of that one before he had a chance to go after it.
> 
> And he will snort, posture and try to push me and the other goats away to finish what he started when/if the other goats or myself try to intervene or get too close to his perceived threat. Guess he feels the need to defend me also.


That’s actually really cool that he defends everyone like that! Now I’ll have to wonder if my goat herd has ever stomped anything… I think they mostly run away 🤣


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## happybleats

NigerianNewbie said:


> They send off an awful smell as a method of self-defense


I know a few people like this. It's effective 😅


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## KY Goat Girl

Oh, I love cardinals! my grandma loved them even more though! They are Kentucky's state bird so we see a lot more of them now.


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## KY Goat Girl

Boers4ever said:


> He has! He doesn’t really let me touch him but he takes food from my hand sometimes. I changed his food cause I couldn’t find the one he was on, and he gained a little chubby belly. So he’s on a diet now lol!


What kind of food do you feed a squirrel?


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## DDFN

NigerianNewbie said:


> They send off an awful smell as a method of self-defense and for some reason the lead goat will pound them with his hooves when one makes the mistake of crossing the dry lot. Don't know for sure, could be he thinks all belly crawling creatures need to be stomped senseless, including caterpillars, snakes, earthworms, shell less snails/slugs, and centipedes. He is quite bold and determined in keeping his charges protected from any and all intruders. Hero to the rescue boy.
> 
> I've had to rescue a few large black snakes and dispatch 2 (two) newly hatched copperheads and another about 2 1/2 feet long from the lot. OMG the little copper heads had crawled into the waste hay, slithering out as I scooped the hay up with my hands. (YIKES scared the daylights out of me.) The larger copper head slithered under the gate, the lead goat had to be asked to go to his stall and I locked the door closed while I took care of that one before he had a chance to go after it.
> 
> And he will snort, posture and try to push me and the other goats away to finish what he started when/if the other goats or myself try to intervene or get too close to his perceived threat. Guess he feels the need to defend me also.


Copper heads are really about the only kind of snake around here we will kill if we have too. My believe is if they threaten my animals well being and won't leave the animal area then they can not stay if they can't play nice. I get that poisonous snakes have their place too but not if they are trying to hurt my livestock or us. 

My husband is too afraid of snakes.


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## NigerianNewbie

DDFN said:


> Copper heads are really about the only kind of snake around here we will kill if we have too. My believe is if they threaten my animals well being and won't leave the animal area then they can not stay if they can't play nice. I get that poisonous snakes have their place too but not if they are trying to hurt my livestock or us.
> 
> My husband is too afraid of snakes.


The very first snake I ever dispatched, about 6 years ago, was a large copperhead. Saw it sunning on a rock close to the front steps. Have seen and uncovered them accidentally many times in the past and let them be. One of my dogs targeted the snake and wanted to take it on. Sent the dogs up the steps, into a stay on the porch, the snake had coiled into strike position. As I was following behind and placed one foot on the bottom step, felt a thump near my ankle. Looked down and that gosh darn copperhead was attached to the fabric of the boot cut jeans I was wearing. I froze and broke out into a sweat while keeping a stay single and eye contact with the very excited two dogs who wanted to take on the snake big time. The snake pulled it's fangs out of my jeans finally, though it seemed like a much longer time than it probably was. 

Flew up those steps and into the house we all went with lightening speed. Phoned a friend for instructions on the best way to kill a snake when shooting it wasn't an option due to the rocks. Put the phone on speaker, grabbed a nearby hoe and struck the snake directly behind the head as instructed. Snake curled up, kept twisting around, and I'm yelling towards the phone, "It isn't dying! Why is it coming after me? What do I need to do now?" The reply was "Chop it again until the head is completely off." So, I did though the snake kept coiling and thrashing. I'm yelling "It won't die!" repeatedly. I hear laughing sounds coming from the phone as I kept chopping that snake until it didn't move any more. The snake resembled nuggets. 

Since that frightening and somewhat traumatic experience, I've learned through experience a direct blow to the head right between the eyes will usually stun them immediately and they are completely still while you remove the head from the body.


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## DDFN

NigerianNewbie said:


> The very first snake I ever dispatched, about 6 years ago, was a large copperhead. Saw it sunning on a rock close to the front steps. Have seen and uncovered them accidentally many times in the past and let them be. One of my dogs targeted the snake and wanted to take it on. Sent the dogs up the steps, into a stay on the porch, the snake had coiled into strike position. As I was following behind and placed one foot on the bottom step, felt a thump near my ankle. Looked down and that gosh darn copperhead was attached to the fabric of the boot cut jeans I was wearing. I froze and broke out into a sweat while keeping a stay single and eye contact with the very excited two dogs who wanted to take on the snake big time. The snake pulled it's fangs out of my jeans finally, though it seemed like a much longer time than it probably was.
> 
> Flew up those steps and into the house we all went with lightening speed. Phoned a friend for instructions on the best way to kill a snake when shooting it wasn't an option due to the rocks. Put the phone on speaker, grabbed a nearby hoe and struck the snake directly behind the head as instructed. Snake curled up, kept twisting around, and I'm yelling towards the phone, "It isn't dying! Why is it coming after me? What do I need to do now?" The reply was "Chop it again until the head is completely off." So, I did though the snake kept coiling and thrashing. I'm yelling "It won't die!" repeatedly. I hear laughing sounds coming from the phone as I kept chopping that snake until it didn't move any more. The snake resembled nuggets.
> 
> Since that frightening and somewhat traumatic experience, I've learned through experience a direct blow to the head right between the eyes will usually stun them immediately and they are completely still while you remove the head from the body.


I completely understand. I normally wear my tall boots (dubarry full leather tall boots) when weeding or any where that we may cross snakes. Never had any make contact but many Copper heads get into position to mean business. So I will not shed a tear over having to take out a copper head but like you only if needed. We also have a snake bite kit we keep on hand too, but now since we moved closer to my parents we dont really have cooperheads any more. Thanks to the king snakes! But still we go prepared!


----------



## Boer Mama

One time I was mowing my lawn and after I finished the front yard I looked over and was like I don’t remember that branch being there… took a closer look and yep, a rattle snake was making its way across heading closer to house.
I yelled for my older son to come with a shovel… I have younger kids (this was 4-5 years ago) and won’t let a rattler just hang out in the yard.
We leave all bull snakes around and between my cats and bull snakes I haven’t seen a rattler in the immediate area the last cpl years. But if I do see one and get the chance, he’s gone.
My dad just remodeled his house and had to dig out the foundation…. So many huge bull snakes came up out of the rocks under there! It was rather amazing to see so many big fellas… surprised any mice even found their way inside his house 🤣


----------



## DDFN

Wow! No thank you on rattle snakes. Haven't had to deal with any of those here. We do have this tool. I can't remember what it is called but like a big machete on a wooden long handle. That used to be our go to copper head defense tool. I wouldn't know what to do if I crossed a rattle snake though.


----------



## Boer Mama

DDFN said:


> Wow! No thank you on rattle snakes. Haven't had to deal with any of those here. We do have this tool. I can't remember what it is called but like a big machete on a wooden long handle. That used to be our go to copper head defense tool. I wouldn't know what to do if I crossed a rattle snake though.


A scythe?
My 11 yo wants one for Christmas… I was thinking I could set him to work on the foxtail with it 🤣
I think rattlers are handled the same as any poisonous snake- remove the head so it can’t bite! But I didn’t want to lift the shovel to try for another jab. So kind of had to keep him pinned down and have my son get another shovel (a sharper one) to finish the job. Lol
Thankfully my dad keeps his post hole digging shovels sharpened!


----------



## DDFN

Boer Mama said:


> A scythe?
> My 11 yo wants one for Christmas… I was thinking I could set him to work on the foxtail with it 🤣
> I think rattlers are handled the same as any poisonous snake- remove the head so it can’t bite! But I didn’t want to lift the shovel to try for another jab. So kind of had to keep him pinned down and have my son get another shovel (a sharper one) to finish the job. Lol
> Thankfully my dad keeps his post hole digging shovels sharpened!


No but we have an old one of those too. I asked my dad and he said it is called a bush axe. It's basically just a long wooden handle like on the old mining picks and a large wide knife with the tip curled backwards. It does the job better than a hoe and you don't have to be as close as a shovel to remove the head lol wow if anyone other than farm people read this comment they would think I was a mad woman lol 

Well just had a tick crawling up my knee in the onion patch now every bead of swear rowing down my back I worry is a tick gonna try to finish up garden work this morning (afternoon now I realize) and shower up before I get one bit in.


----------



## luvmyherd

Oh man! I hate ticks. I think I would rather deal with a snake.
Anytime I would be at my son's house in the mountains I would constantly feel them crawling on me. (Though I only ever saw one.☺)


----------



## DDFN

I can honestly say I have a hatred for ticks. My husband and y self both had Lyme disease but were lucky enough to find a doctor to believe that it existed in east TN back when it happened and after treatments with doxy it went away. Unfortunately my husband ended up with the tick bite meat allergy Alpha gal. It makes it very hard to cook anything for him and it costs more to cook for the specialty foods we have to use. No dairy or any mammal products. Even gelatin and vitamins end up with mammal byproducts which makes it very hard for him to not have a reaction. Duck, emu and chicken are the number 1 meal options and that isn't cheap. But I will say duck tacos are amazing!


----------



## Boer Mama

That’s why I got Guinea fowl… they’d better be out there eating up all the ticks! They go everywhere… shouldn’t be a tick within a mile radius 😅
I agree- you don’t even have to find one crawling on yourself- just see one at all and you can’t help but feel them. Just like hearing the mention of head lice and you just feel itchy all of a sudden!

@DDFN that sounds frustrating to live with. At least ducks reproduce abundantly! My dad loves roasted Muscovy duck (and he’s not a fan of wild duck so was surprised how good these raised ducks are. Lol).


----------



## Moers kiko boars

Sorry, but I hate snakes. Had a rattlesnake stuck in my jeans& cowboy boot when I was 6 yrs old. I took a hatchet to remove it. So I am NOT a snake person. Bull snakes,& gardner snakes are the only ones I tolerate. All others are beheaded. Like this copperhead in my chicken coop the other day


----------



## Boer Mama

Moers kiko boars said:


> Sorry, but I hate snakes. Had a rattlesnake stuck in my jeans& cowboy boot when I was 6 yrs old. I took a hatchet to remove it. So I am NOT a snake person. Bull snakes,& gardner snakes are the only ones I tolerate. All others are beheaded. Like this copperhead in my chicken coop the other day
> View attachment 231180


How on earth did you get a snake stuck in your pant leg like that? So scary- at least it didn’t get over top of your boot and be able to bite your leg/foot!
My kids don’t always wear boots… but I do remind them to keep their eyes open for snakes. That’s scary to think about.
I don’t think I want to move further south even if I do get tired of ID’s bi polar weather 😆


----------



## happybleats

This is what happens when you're running out side "real quick" without shoes. The snake was not amused to be stepped on. (My sons foot)
Asked if my son lwarned his lesson..he says yes, look down where your running! Lol


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## Moers kiko boars

Well @Boer Mama I was walking in the pasture whisteling up my horses. I felt a thump on my leg,looked down, heard the rattle , and I held it on my boot while walked back to get something to kill it. It was stuck in the side pull of the boot, thru my jeans. I grabbed a hatchet, put my leg over the feeder trough and went to hacking that snake. He ended up in about 10 pieces. But it took pliers to get his fangs out. It was gross.


----------



## NigerianNewbie

Moers kiko boars said:


> He ended up in about 10 pieces.


Yep, that sounds close enough to chicken finger size to me.


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## Boer Mama

A family friend sent her nieces riding with my dad and brother one day for a long ride… didn’t send any lunch with them. My dad gave his lunch to them to split… later found a rattler and ate it! 
I wasn’t there and don’t remember the story, but I’m assuming he must have stopped and made a small fire and didn’t eat it raw 😑


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## KY Goat Girl

Moers kiko boars said:


> Sorry, but I hate snakes. Had a rattlesnake stuck in my jeans& cowboy boot when I was 6 yrs old. I took a hatchet to remove it. So I am NOT a snake person. Bull snakes,& gardner snakes are the only ones I tolerate. All others are beheaded. Like this copperhead in my chicken coop the other day
> View attachment 231180


I agree with you 100%!!! I am not even the biggest fan of lizards. Too close to a snake. lol


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## KY Goat Girl

happybleats said:


> This is what happens when you're running out side "real quick" without shoes. The snake was not amused to be stepped on. (My sons foot)
> Asked if my son lwarned his lesson..he says yes, look down where your running! Lol
> View attachment 231184


Oh gosh. That gave me shivers. I go barefoot almost anywhere around our property no matter what season and my mom is always telling me I'm going to step on a snake. Haven't had that happen yet. Have stepped on a scorpion that was in the house when I was getting a drink one night and all the lights are off. I should have gotten stung but didn't. 🙌


Moers kiko boars said:


> Well @Boer Mama I was walking in the pasture whisteling up my horses. I felt a thump on my leg,looked down, heard the rattle , and I held it on my boot while walked back to get something to kill it. It was stuck in the side pull of the boot, thru my jeans. I grabbed a hatchet, put my leg over the feeder trough and went to hacking that snake. He ended up in about 10 pieces. But it took pliers to get his fangs out. It was gross.


This also gave me shivers. 😬 I'm the kind of person who screams anytime somebody says anything about a snake being near me. I would have freaked out in your situation.


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## Boers4ever

When I was about 8 or 9 I was feeding the cats on the back porch barefoot. I felt a sting on my ankle and looked down to see a baby copperhead attached to my foot. I took off running screaming “snake! Snake!” And when I came tearing through the house my mom asked me if it bit me and I said yes. She freaked out yelling for my dad who rushed outside to catch it. He put it in a water bottle and stuck it in his pocket before rushing me to the hospital. After about 6 hours, an X-ray, and a long observation time, they determined that it was a dry bite. No venom had gotten through. Of course all the drs and nurses had to come see the snake and take pictures. Pretty sure one nurse took a selphy with it! 

My brother also got bit on the finger as a teenager. Except he was bit by a Cottonmouth. He wasn’t as lucky as me though because his arm swollen up huge and he spent a week in the hospital.


----------



## Boers4ever

KY Goat Girl said:


> What kind of food do you feed a squirrel?


[mention]KY Goat Girl [/mention] he gets a mixture of different types of hamster/gerbil food. Some has nuts and seed, another has protein pellets. He gets a calcium block, and a fresh piece of his favorite fruit every evening: apple. I spoil him just a little lol.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Boers4ever said:


> After about 6 hours, an X-ray, and a long observation


Excuse my ignorance when it comes to snake bites, but what is the point of an X-ray?


----------



## Boers4ever

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Excuse my ignorance when it comes to snake bites, but what is the point of an X-ray?


Making money. There was no reason to do an X-ray. They said that they wanted to to “make sure a fang didn’t break off and get lodged in the ankle”. My parents argued with them over it. It was dumb.


----------



## luvmyherd

I had that question myself. I am sure you are right🤑🤑🤑ka-ching!
Most poisonous snakes do not want to waste their venom on something that is not food.


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## Boer Mama

on the way home tonight there were 2 youngsters with velvety antlers hanging out in the small horse pasture. They weren’t too concerned as I was driving by, but when I slowed to snap a pic they started going so not best picture. Lol


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## toth boer goats

Beautiful


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Wow, that deer picture looks like a painting. I would not hesitate to put that on my wall.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

A couple of Waxwings enjoying early morning sips of nectar from the Red Hot Poker plant. Hummingbirds also like to visit the these flowers.


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## toth boer goats

How neat looks like Halloween candy.


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## DDFN

toth boer goats said:


> How neat looks like Halloween candy.


I didn't think of that until you mentioned it!


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## KY Goat Girl




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## Mike at Capra Vista

toth boer goats said:


> How neat looks like Halloween candy.



Thanks for that! This will be what I think of from now on when I see them.


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## Jessica84

Ok I got a cool one…..of course just my cruddy phone but still! I actually got a video and was so cool being that close to him


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## Boer Mama

Jessica84 said:


> Ok I got a cool one…..of course just my cruddy phone but still! I actually got a video and was so cool being that close to him
> View attachment 231615


I was here trying to hit play on the video 🤣


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## toth boer goats

Beautiful 😊


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## toth boer goats

Haha, sorry about that. But it gives it new meaning now. 🤣😁


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## luvmyherd

Jessica84 said:


> Ok I got a cool one…..of course just my cruddy phone but still! I actually got a video and was so cool being that close to him
> View attachment 231615


That is beautiful! We were in downtown Renton last night and saw bald eagles flying overhead. Such a sight. No chance to get pictures though.


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## g-oats

Nesting season has finally come!! Barn owls have always been a favorite of mine, honored that they call my home theirs.


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## Jessica84

Boer Mama said:


> I was here trying to hit play on the video


Lol I should have cropped it because I would have done the same thing lol
It was pretty cool he let me get so close to him! At first I couldn’t tell what it was. I just was a black bird with a funny beak. It was a awesome surprise


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Barn Owls are such beautiful birds. I've never seen one. South half of Vancouver Island is one of the few places in Canada where they exist. Maybe a pair will move into my barn one day. That would be quite a surprise to my Barn Swallows. Great pictures.


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## Moers kiko boars

Beautiful Barn Owls! 💗💖


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## luvmyherd

g-oats said:


> Nesting season has finally come!! Barn owls have always been a favorite of mine, honored that they call my home theirs.
> View attachment 231665
> 
> View attachment 231663


I❤🧡💚💙💜barn🦉's!!!!!
I am always looking for them hoping they will take up residence in our barn.


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## g-oats

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Barn Owls are such beautiful birds. I've never seen one. South half of Vancouver Island is one of the few places in Canada where they exist. Maybe a pair will move into my barn one day. That would be quite a surprise to my Barn Swallows. Great pictures.


Oh interesting. I know that they are a very widespread species of owl, though I only see them during some months of the year myself. The barn owls here have never occupied my barn, they seem to like the birdhouses better. I will be going down there again tonight. Hoping to catch some sort of action. 


luvmyherd said:


> I❤🧡💚💙💜barn🦉's!!!!!
> I am always looking for them hoping they will take up residence in our barn.


They are definitely my favorite species of owl, though they do screech quite a bit.


----------



## g-oats

Didn’t get any owl photos last night, but this frog was a paid actor! I rarely shoot at night, but I think I’m liking this heavy shadow.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Nice photos!


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## toth boer goats

Wow, thank you OP for making this thread. We are seeing beautiful wildlife pics, which should be in a magazine. 😊


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## happybleats

We keep a water dish for our front yard chickens. Squirls enjoy it too. Lol. Not really a wild animal unless you try to catch him 😆


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## DDFN

happybleats said:


> We keep a water dish for our front yard chickens. Squirls enjoy it too. Lol. Not really a wild animal unless you try to catch him 😆
> View attachment 231719


Ok we would want video of that wild life encounter if it happens lol


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Caught this little Downy(?) Woodpecker also looking for nektar sap from these Red Hot Pokers. These flowers literally drip sugar water at times.


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## luvmyherd

The grandkid's school had a field day yesterday. Lots of fun with the highlight being a fire truck showing up and dousing the kids with their hose. Especially since it was about 60*. But these are PNW children who barely noticed. (As a visiting Californian I was like, "How can you waste all this water!!!)😮
But while walking around the field just for a bit of exercise; this little fellow took up residence on my sweater.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Cinnabar Moth


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## Tanya

This is my dinosaur chicken. Her father was a chicken and her mother a teradactil.... she is 4000 years old but i human years 4 going on 5.


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## Boer Mama

Tanya said:


> View attachment 231782
> 
> 
> This is my dinosaur chicken. Her father was a chicken and her mother a teradactil.... she is 4000 years old but i human years 4 going on 5.


She looks a little wild 😅


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## DDFN

Tanya said:


> View attachment 231782
> 
> 
> This is my dinosaur chicken. Her father was a chicken and her mother a teradactil.... she is 4000 years old but i human years 4 going on 5.


My students always laugh and fact check me when I tell them chickens are the closest living relative to dinosaurs lol


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## Tanya

@DDFN show them Blommie and tell tgem there is one in South Africa.


----------



## DDFN

Tanya said:


> @DDFN show them Blommie and tell tgem there is one in South Africa.


Will do when we start back in August!


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## Tanya

@Boer Mama she is a wild one.... free range and puts the other chickens in their place.


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## DDFN

About my extent of wild life pics this week.


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## luvmyherd

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Cinnabar Moth


Thanks to Google lens I was able to find that out.😁


----------



## g-oats

I don’t think I will bother them much anymore. It’s gonna be hard, not gonna lie! 😆
















Anyone up for chicken pics? These are my project growouts. Thinking all the cockerels will go to freezer camp this year. Hopes are that the females are F2 OEs but only time will tell. Chickens are honestly SO photogenic. They make even RAW photos look nice…if only all birds were like that…


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## Moers kiko boars

Beautiful pics!💗💖


----------



## toth boer goats




----------



## The Goat

I found a Cotten mouth


----------



## luvmyherd

^Those pictures are majorly impressive.^


----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

Is that a cottonmouth trait, to hold their heads up like that (pic 5)?


----------



## toth boer goats

Yikes 😳


----------



## The Goat

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Is that a cottonmouth trait, to hold their heads up like that (pic 5)?


This is what Alexa says about that


----------



## The Goat

luvmyherd said:


> ^Those pictures are majorly impressive.^


Thank you


----------



## DDFN

Very nice pictures but you can keep the cotton mouth. Lol 

I am thankful for our king snakes.

So yesterday outside I took a video of a baby bird calling for food and waiting for delivery. I tried to take a screenshot of it but it may not be very clear.








Screenshot before zooming in. Upper middle of picture.








Zoomed in just on my cell phone so not the best picture.

Before the horse show we were feeding my friends pig some fruit in jello cups. They loved it!


----------



## DDFN

The Goat said:


> This is what Alexa says about that
> View attachment 231971












This was the first thing that yo r research made me think of! I honestly thought it would of been them holding head up above water, but now I know! I still don't want any around here.


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## The Goat

DDFN said:


> View attachment 231976
> 
> 
> This was the first thing that yo r research made me think of! I honestly thought it would of been them holding head up above water, but now I know! I still don't want any around here.


When I released it I 
Continued walking and in the water I saw a another cottonmouth sticking it’s head above the water I thot it was a different one but when I went back the 1st one was nowhere to be seen


----------



## The Goat

DDFN said:


> Very nice pictures but you can keep the cotton mouth. Lol
> 
> I am thankful for our king snakes.
> 
> So yesterday outside I took a video of a baby bird calling for food and waiting for delivery. I tried to take a screenshot of it but it may not be very clear.
> View attachment 231972
> 
> Screenshot before zooming in. Upper middle of picture.
> View attachment 231973
> 
> Zoomed in just on my cell phone so not the best picture.
> 
> Before the horse show we were feeding my friends pig some fruit in jello cups. They loved it!
> View attachment 231974
> 
> View attachment 231975


Love the pics of the pigs


----------



## luvmyherd

Today we brought the grandkids fishing.








The mountain is out.








A family of geese graced us with their presence.


























Along with Mallard couple.








A crow stole a sandwich from the table across from us.
Beautiful day, lack of fish notwithstanding🤨


----------



## The Goat

luvmyherd said:


> Today we brought the grandkids fishing.
> View attachment 232098
> 
> The mountain is out.
> View attachment 232099
> 
> A family of geese graced us with their presence.
> 
> View attachment 232101
> 
> View attachment 232113
> 
> View attachment 232114
> 
> 
> Along with Mallard couple.
> View attachment 232105
> 
> A crow stole a sandwich from the table across from us.
> Beautiful day, lack of fish notwithstanding


Aww the family of geese are so cute I loved your picks


----------



## toth boer goats

Beautiful.


----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

Okay, this is not my picture, not on my property, but a fun story.

On a nearby island, an eagle brings live food to its eaglet so it can learn to kill. The live food was a Red-tailed hawklet taken from a nest. The eaglet did not kill the hawklet, but instead they occasionally cuddled together. By nightfall, Mom brooded over both.

Instead of being food, the hawklet became another mouth to feed. They will fledged soon.


----------



## Boer Mama

That is a cool story… mama gave in to her kids plea ‘but I like him!’ 😂


----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

Now kids everywhere will be saying,"I can't eat the broccoli, it's my new best friend".


----------



## The Goat

That’s a funny story


----------



## toth boer goats




----------



## KY Goat Girl

That’s such a good story! Animals are amazing!


----------



## toth boer goats

Yes they are.


----------



## g-oats

Nope rope.


----------



## KY Goat Girl

Is that a diamond back? Still learning my snakes and I’m not the biggest fan of them. Lol


----------



## toth boer goats




----------



## The Goat

I think that is a diamond back!!!!


----------



## DDFN

g-oats said:


> Nope rope.
> View attachment 233030
> 
> View attachment 233031


Yup that is a definite nope rope. Beautiful pictures but nope lol. Becareful out there!


----------



## Boer Mama

You can see it’s little rattle… just a baby. Which is very bad. Lol
I’d call my kitty for backup 😅


----------



## DDFN

Boer Mama said:


> You can see it’s little rattle… just a baby. Which is very bad. Lol
> I’d call my kitty for backup 😅


My cat would be sitting in a lawn chair with a cup of milk watching the scene unfold! Lol the feral barn cat has gotten a bit lazy these days.

Not my pic but from Google


----------



## Boer Mama

I’ve got a pair of barn swallows that have taken a liking to my deck. They have a suitable swing by utilizing my clothesline, and some nice ledges/cubby to build their nest. We’ve been enjoying watching them thru the window 😊


----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

I like having swallows around. Every year we have a pair of barn swallows nest in, yes, the barn. This year they have 5 chicks so the parents are busy darting in and out of the barn. The doorway can be a dangerous place as they dart in and out. They have missed my face by inches. Good thing they are not barn owls.


----------



## MellonFriend

My mom got these beautiful pictures of bees on one of our bread seed poppies the other day


----------



## Boer Mama

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> I like having swallows around. Every year we have a pair of barn swallows nest in, yes, the barn. This year they have 5 chicks so the parents are busy darting in and out of the barn. The doorway can be a dangerous place as they dart in and out. They have missed my face by inches. Good thing they are not barn owls.


They do dart and swoop a lot… I’m thinking they will be great for keeping flies away from the front door. I need to refill my hummingbird feeder and see if they can be in peace together… just realized my feeder has been empty. 😑
My pair of swallows are just starting their nest so no eggs or chicks yet, but will be fun to see this summer 😊


----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

I doubt there will be conflict between swallows and hummers. They do not compete for anything. If your swallows are successful, you will probably have a nest every year.

I also have tree swallows that use the nest boxes on fence posts and Violet-green swallows that use nest boxes on my barn and shop.

Btw, I just discovered:








Online bird guide, bird ID help, life history, bird sounds from Cornell


Featured Browse All Articles Sign Up for Our eNews Get helpful advice, inspiring stories, and beautiful images and sounds Bird ID Skills More Bird ID Articles Feeding Birds More Feeding Birds Articles FAQs & Common Problems




www.allaboutbirds.org




Extensive bird info from Cornell Lab.


----------



## Boer Mama

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> I doubt there will be conflict between swallows and hummers. They do not compete for anything. If your swallows are successful, you will probably have a nest every year.
> 
> I also have tree swallows that use the nest boxes on fence posts and Violet-green swallows that use nest boxes on my barn and shop.
> 
> Btw, I just discovered:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Online bird guide, bird ID help, life history, bird sounds from Cornell
> 
> 
> Featured Browse All Articles Sign Up for Our eNews Get helpful advice, inspiring stories, and beautiful images and sounds Bird ID Skills More Bird ID Articles Feeding Birds More Feeding Birds Articles FAQs & Common Problems
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.allaboutbirds.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Extensive bird info from Cornell Lab.


That’s awesome 🤩 
And I had just been reading about swallows and that a percentage of them do return to their previous nests. I’m really hoping that’s the case with these! I’m a little worried about the outside cats tho 😓


----------



## luvmyherd

I don't have pictures but 2 days ago I was having coffee on the deck and heard a terrible ruckus. I looked up to see a kitten bringing down a blue jay. It got away once but she grabbed it again. That time it managed to get away. It was bigger than the kitten.🙀
I was torn because they were in my grapes and they poke holes in eggs. But I felt bad for the bird who was with a mate and probably has a nest nearby. I think it was good it got away.


----------



## Boer Mama

I’ve seen the cats leap up where the hummingbird feeder is and snag a poor little hummer… which I guess isn’t as surprising as a bigger bird, but they are so fast! But not when they stop to take a swig 😓


----------



## g-oats

KY Goat Girl said:


> Is that a diamond back? Still learning my snakes and I’m not the biggest fan of them. Lol


I believe so. Even IF I was a snake fan, I definitely won’t be a rattlesnake fan. 😧Unfortunately for me, snake season is here and probably not gonna leave anytime soon.


----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

So when I got to the barn this morning, one of the swallow chicks had fallen into a stall. He seemed fine. Probably had not been there long. I managed to get him back into the nest. Too much stretching and climbing for me but I managed not to hurt myself.  Still five in the nest this evening, so he must be fine. Another week of so before they fly.


----------



## Boer Mama

He was jumping the gun a bit on his flying lessons - glad you were able to get him back safely! 😊


----------



## Moers kiko boars




----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> So when I got to the barn this morning, one of the swallow chicks had fallen into a stall. He seemed fine. Probably had not been there long. I managed to get him back into the nest. Too much stretching and climbing for me but I managed not to hurt myself.  Still five in the nest this evening, so he must be fine. Another week of so before they fly.


This morning (not to be confused with the previous "this morning") I again saw a little clump of tiny feathers in the stall under the swallow nest. This time it was 2 chicks huddled together. Clearly 5 is too many for the nest. The adult swallows yelled at me the whole time I was in the barn after returning their lost chicks. No good deed ......


----------



## The Goat




----------



## Boer Mama

Better make that a daily barn check to keep them all safe. ❤
last year I had a pair of western kingbirds nest in the gutter off my back porch. I’d read that their nests are very narrow and generally, as the chicks grow bigger, some will end up crowding out and falling to their death. I was so worried my daughter would find a dead baby chick or two and be sad (concrete pad below).
But, it turns out the gutter was a great place for them to nest as the chicks could crowd out to the side and still stay safe from falling.
They did not come back this year… and I had to remove their nest from the gutter last fall for rains.


----------



## KY Goat Girl

I had two different nests of barn swallows above two different stalls in the barn and I loved watching them grow. Then we got new barn cats (the one we already had didn’t mess with them) and they killed them all. Not just cocks, but the hens and the chicks too. I was so bummed about it.


----------



## KY Goat Girl




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## The Goat

I’ve never seen one so close


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## Mike at Capra Vista

luvmyherd said:


> But while walking around the field just for a bit of exercise; this little fellow took up residence on my sweater.
> View attachment 231774


Found some Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on Ragwort plants. 



















The Cinnabar Moth is a day-flying moth introduced to N. America to help control invasive Ragwort.


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## The Goat

Wow!


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## Moers kiko boars

Well they seem to be Doing their Job!🤯


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## toth boer goats

Wow 😮


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## The Goat

The wild goat


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## g-oats

This dove was chased by a hawk, then ran into a window, and finally came crashing head first into an aloe plant. That's what my dad said over the phone, and I thought for sure he was lying. But I kid you not, he wasn't.


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## The Goat

Poor little thing


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## The Goat

What happened to her


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## g-oats

The Goat said:


> What happened to her


Probably got hurt by the red tail. I sprayed some veterycin on her wound and left the rest in God’s hands. She was definitely in shock for a while, but ended up flying away fine.


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## DDFN

Poor thing. Lucky it found you all.


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## The Goat

That’s good to hear


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## toth boer goats




----------



## Boer Mama

My deck swallows have a successful nest going on. I stood up on a step stool and raised my phone up above to take a pic since I couldn’t see inside it still… a little blurry as I was trying to hurry so I wouldn’t upset mama too much.


----------



## KY Goat Girl

Caught a baby blue tail skunk yesterday! 

























It was so wiggly I thought I was squeezing the life out of it just to hold it.


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## Boer Mama

It’s so tiny! 
May first I was thinking you really had taken a picture of a type of baby skunk 😅


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## Moers kiko boars

WOW.. @KY Goat Girl ..thats amazing photography. Good job. Those little guys are so quick! I live watching them run away. Then stop.and give you that 👁 one eye look!😂😁

@Boer Mama ..whens the due date? 🤣😂 they are so comfy in those eggs. You got guts with mama right there..


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## DDFN

Well my limited wild life was this lovely frog that decided to help me clean out the post holes after all the augering was done. 









Wish I had gotten a picture of video of the neighbors little dog trying to take on a ground hog. The dog wasn't big enough lol ground hog 1 yappy dog 0


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## KY Goat Girl

Moers kiko boars said:


> WOW.. @KY Goat Girl ..thats amazing photography. Good job. Those little guys are so quick! I live watching them run away. Then stop.and give you that  one eye look!


He was stuck in a goat bowl and kept sliding down every time he tried to get to get out so he wasn’t hard to catch.


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## Boer Mama

Moers kiko boars said:


> WOW.. @KY Goat Girl ..thats amazing photography. Good job. Those little guys are so quick! I live watching them run away. Then stop.and give you that 👁 one eye look!😂😁
> 
> @Boer Mama ..whens the due date? 🤣😂 they are so comfy in those eggs. You got guts with mama right there..


Mama wasn’t right there, the pair of them fly off and swoop back in forth in the front yard when I go out the front door. But I did hear her chirping her complaint while I was up high near the nest… so didn’t want to end up making them abandon the site or something. 😅


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## luvmyherd

DDFN said:


> Well my limited wild life was this lovely frog that decided to help me clean out the post holes after all the augering was done.
> 
> View attachment 234080


OMG!!!
It looks like a little Bulbasaur.


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## luvmyherd

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> Found some Cinnabar Moth caterpillars on Ragwort plants.
> View attachment 233884
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 233885
> 
> 
> The Cinnabar Moth is a day-flying moth introduced to N. America to help control invasive Ragwort.


For a worm those are downright pretty!


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## The Goat

[mention]Boar mama [/mention] they are pretty keep us posted. [mention]KY Goat Girl [/mention] he’s so pretty!!!!! and that’s some great photography.


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## KY Goat Girl

Thanks!


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## DDFN

luvmyherd said:


> OMG!!!
> It looks like a little Bulbasaur.
> View attachment 234120
> 
> View attachment 234122


Apparently they live in my freshly leveled dirt site for the New barn lol.


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## Boer Mama

DDFN said:


> Apparently they live in my freshly leveled dirt site for the New barn lol.


Now we’ll have to keep updated with your bulbasours and mikes elves… things might get crazy if they find each other. 😆


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## DDFN

Boer Mama said:


> Now we’ll have to keep updated with your bulbasours and mikes elves… things might get crazy if they find each other. 😆


Oh dear I had not thought about that. Good thing Canada and East TN is a good bit of distance away from each other but then again we don't know where Mike's elves went lately. . . . I will stay on the look out.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Our Barn Swallows fledged a couple of days ago. They are the only bird I know where the chicks return to sleep in the nest at night. They will do that for close to a week and then leave for good.









Two of the chicks resting after their first scary flight. The others are out of the barn flying with their parents.











One chick the next morning before flying out of the barn. He left to join the others outside, right after I took the picture.


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## The Goat

They look like gnomes


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## luvmyherd

The Goat said:


> They look like gnomes


I was thinking Porgs. 
(It's a Star Wars thing 😏 )


----------



## The Goat

luvmyherd said:


> I was thinking Porgs.
> (It's a Star Wars thing  )


lol


----------



## luvmyherd




----------



## The Goat

Haha I’ve never seen Star Wars but that’s a really close resemblance


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## Mike at Capra Vista

The Goat said:


> I’ve never seen Star Wars


You will have to leave!


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## The Goat

Ok by my fellow goat friends I once said I would like to not leave but all do what ever my crazy goat friends say………. Not all my friends have goats only the best ones—the goat 2022


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## The Goat

I forgot the x


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## Boer Mama

Are we in danger of sillifying another thread? 😏


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## The Goat

Boer Mama said:


> Are we in danger of sillifying another thread?


Your in danger!!


----------



## The Goat

Boer Mama said:


> Are we in danger of sillifying another thread?


Yes we are I will make sure this thread is silly


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## KY Goat Girl




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## DDFN

KY Goat Girl said:


> View attachment 234390
> 
> View attachment 234391


Apparently my frog has already traveled to Kentucky. Cute that the goat is checking it out. Well we have a ton of frogs here this week. And a thunderstorm at the moment so I guess we will have more by this evening.


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## Boer Mama

I forgot to post this earlier. But Monday when we went to a friends house I pointed this hawk out to the kids. He was just chilling on the stack. He was still there 1.5 hrs later when we drove by again 😂


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## The Goat

That’s so cool!


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## The Goat

KY Goat Girl said:


> View attachment 234390
> 
> View attachment 234391


I love the one where the goat is checking out the frog


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## Boer Mama

Frogs must add up like goats. 1 became 4 very quickly.








Bailey wondering what’s taken over her favorite water tub.


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## toth boer goats

How cute.


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## The Goat

My dog would kill them


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## Boer Mama

The Goat said:


> My dog would kill them


I remember you mentioning something along those lines. I was watching Bailey but all she did was bop one with her paw and then watch and wait for it to come up again. Kind of like the game bop a mole 😂


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## The Goat

I did say something like that on here.


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## toth boer goats

😂


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## Rancho Draco

Found this little guy this morning as he was chasing down bugs under a log. A northern prairie skink.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Great picture of him standing up looking at you. An unusually long tail.


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## The Goat

Oh my goodness I love skinks!!!


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## KY Goat Girl

Your skinks are huge  Here’s mine from the other day and I thought it was big.  It was 7-8 inches long!


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## The Goat

He’s gorges


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## Mike at Capra Vista

No body is fooled. That is just a brightly coloured shoe, not a skink.


----------



## The Goat

Mike if we are being Pacific it’s a five lined blue skink http://www.nkytribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Five-Lined-Skink-1-.jpg


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## The Goat

And they can be found in 
Kentucky 😉😂


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## KY Goat Girl

Mike, you really know how to crack a person up.


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## Doe C Doe boers!

just thought I would say I like your shoes 😂


----------



## NigerianNewbie

This little yearling is not/has not been hand reared or tamed. This picture was taken by my son and emailed to me. They have been resurfacing the road close to where I live, and these 2 gentlemen were part of the road crew. This visitor joined them during lunch break. He was born here last year as a new addition to the doe herd that are frequent neighbors of mine. I have been calling him Toby. This time of the year the yearling males are kicked out and he hasn't been accepted into a buck herd. Possibly, he was feeling pretty lonely.


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## The Goat

Awww🙏🏼 Go Tobey


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## KY Goat Girl

Awe, poor thing.


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## Doe C Doe boers!

Awww


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## Mike at Capra Vista

Ratty old swallowtail butterfly sipping nectar from Blazing Star (Liatris spicata).


----------



## The Goat

Gorges


----------



## Doe C Doe boers!

Pretty!


----------



## toth boer goats

❤😁


----------



## Boer Mama

My swallows hatched their eggs… blurry pic but you can see a chick there..


----------



## The Goat

Awww


----------



## toth boer goats

Aww 😊


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## luvmyherd

I thought I might get some good shots while on the road but so far it has been mostly road kill.
Saw lots of Pronghorns but never close enough for a picture. So today I finally got this little (and I mean tiny) fellow to keep still long enough.


----------



## The Goat

Aww


----------



## toth boer goats

Neat.


----------



## The Goat




----------



## luvmyherd

There are little cotton tails all over here but I never have my camera out in time.


----------



## happybleats

A bird lol. Like I said..we dont get many wild animals Here 🙃


----------



## The Goat

Same here but I’m not in Texas right now so I’m seeing allot lol


----------



## Ok deer




----------



## The Goat

Oh my goodness


----------



## Doe C Doe boers!

Those little tree frogs are hilarious 😆 we have a lot of them by our pool


----------



## toth boer goats

👍


----------



## Boer Mama

I have some twine for my grapevine to grow up on the end of my deck. My pair of swallows were swooping thru and landed on it with the sunset background 😁


----------



## The Goat

Awww


----------



## The Goat

Gorges


----------



## Boer Mama

Thanks- I thought it made for a nice pic 😊


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## Moers kiko boars

I love watching barn swallows. They are like tiny jets as they zoom by. 🥰


----------



## The Goat




----------



## Boer Mama

Little bumble sleeping this morning… looks awake, but wasn’t stirring around yet. Was starting to sprinkle a little bit… 








it was on my rose of Sharon tree, but that blossom next to it was spent so it’s hard to tell. Lol


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## Mike at Capra Vista

She's not sleeping. You can see her eyes are wide open.


----------



## DDFN

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> She's not sleeping. You can see her eyes are wide open.


Surveillance bee! Monitoring for the Canadians I see.


----------



## Boer Mama

Mike at Capra Vista said:


> She's not sleeping. You can see her eyes are wide open.


I said she looks awake… but she hadn’t had her coffee yet and I didn’t want to share mine so she was staying in bed 😂


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## luvmyherd

Had fun sitting by the lake watching bats swoop and devour mosquitoes. Don't have good enough camera for those kinds of pix.
I think we will hit Carlsbad Caverns on our way home and watch the bat exit at sundown. Cell phone pix are not allowed as it messes with their radar.


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## Mike at Capra Vista

After my barn swallows fledged, they only hung around for a couple of days. But another pair moved into the barn. It took me a while to realize they were different birds. They refuse to wear name tags. They showed an interest in the nest. After about a week, I only ever saw one bird in the barn, which was odd. So now it turns out that I have a single mom sitting on eggs. There has been no sign of another swallow, so I assume something unpleasant has happened to him. I hope she does not have too many chicks to feed when they hatch.


----------



## luvmyherd

Cottonmouth trying to swallow a 🐟 sideways.








Mammoth Spring Arkansas.


----------



## Boer Mama

luvmyherd said:


> Cottonmouth trying to swallow a 🐟 sideways.
> View attachment 236243
> 
> Mammoth Spring Arkansas.


That water looks gross 😕


----------



## Boer Mama

My barn swallows have left my deck. I’m not sure what happened. There had been a cpl more pairs, so we had 6 swooping in and out, probably have a gang war. Then I didn’t see anyone anymore.
I did check up in the nest and one baby was in there all dried out. One egg left not hatched. And I know one baby had died earlier, it was hanging down from the nest by a horse tail hair. (I’d removed it, hoping the rest would be ok.).
So sadly, the deck swallows did not have a successful year at my place 😓


----------



## Doe C Doe boers!

Boer Mama said:


> That water looks gross 😕


I agree it looks perfect for a snake 🐍


----------



## luvmyherd

Boer Mama said:


> That water looks gross 😕


It was right at the spillway so all the gross stuff accumulates there. The snake did seem to love it; he could easily hide.








The other side is gorgeous.


----------



## Doe C Doe boers!

luvmyherd said:


> It was right at the spillway so all the gross stuff accumulates there. The snake did seem to love it; he could easily hide.
> View attachment 236246
> 
> The other side is gorgeous.


It is! 😂


----------



## Doe C Doe boers!

Talk about a pretty and ugly side lol


----------



## Goatastic43

A mockingbird pair made a home in the little tree next to the goat pen! They flew away yesterday. (Not great pictures, I was taking them through the fence) The picture from about was from Saturday and the ones from the side







. from Thursday. Shows how quick they grow!


----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

Mockingbirds are one of my favourite birds. I used to enjoy listening to their amazing songs and watching them when they hunt bugs on the ground. Sadly we do not have them in my neighbourhood.


----------



## MellonFriend

We saw a doe and her fawn in our neighbor's yard yesterday.


----------



## Mike at Capra Vista

Our neighbours saw a black bear on our driveway a few days ago. Sorry no picture.


----------



## Boer Mama

My husband caught 4 bass and had them on his stringer, then a mink grabbed his stringer and took off with all of them. He and his co worker chased the mink for 45 min but he never dropped his bounty…
Sorry no pic but my mental picture of them chasing the mink thru the brush is hilarious


----------



## toth boer goats

Love ❤


----------



## luvmyherd

GRRRRRR!!!!!!! We have had catches stolen by mink, otters, turtles...you name it. I finally made my husband buy a fish cage and I love it!!!!
Although, the fish we caught yesterday were pulling a _Dory_ and tried to _just keep swimming_ and moved it about a foot.😲


----------



## Boer Mama

Today I caught a cpl pics of a little hummer visiting my trumpet vine ❤
























sorry, that one’s a little too blurry as I tried to crop it up to increase the size 😕
Here he is taking a rest on the woody end of the vine.


----------



## toth boer goats




----------



## Rancho Draco

I saw another skink a few days ago sunning on a dirt pile. This one was much smaller than the one I saw earlier this summer.
















I also had a ground squirrel come up and say hello. He was very close to me but spooked when I brought my phone up for a picture.


----------



## toth boer goats




----------



## Ok deer

One of my pet turtles!


----------



## luvmyherd

Beautiful!!
Here's my Turtelini enjoying a visit to Death Valley.


----------



## Chanceosunshine

We have a beautiful "smoke phased" wild turkey that visits our yard. I'm going to put up a turkey feeder soon so I can see them more often. I hope she makes it through hunting season cause I really enjoy seeing her.


----------



## MellonFriend

That turkey is so pretty! I had never heard of the smoke phase morph until now.


----------



## Rancho Draco

She's so pretty!


----------



## toth boer goats




----------



## luvmyherd

Came nose-to-nose with this doe and fawn hiking at the Grand Canyon.


----------



## Moers kiko boars

Dont show @Lil Boogie , she will take it home for Hope to play with!🤣😂 just kidding!


----------



## happybleats

My 16 year old son works at a large animal vet who specializes in bucking bulls and exotics and he sees quite a bit of strange things out there. Kangaroos, camels… but yesterday he saw this stick bug and a skunk. I figure those are wild animals lol.


----------



## luvmyherd

Moers kiko boars said:


> Dont show @Lil Boogie , she will take it home for Hope to play with!🤣😂 just kidding!


Too late! Already posted.🤭


----------



## toth boer goats

😂


----------



## Boer Mama

This evening, when I came out of the barn after putting away my bucket, my LGD was barking and running out to the field. I look around and see this big coyote blended into the hillside just standing there waiting.








There was also a deer a little further to the right, closer down to the creek by the the sunflowers and cattails. The deer stood there while Luna ran in between the 2 of them and chased the coyote out over the hill, and was still there when she came back. I guess our meadow deer are used to her and know she means them no harm. ❤








I know the pictures aren’t very good and it’s hard to make either of them out 😅


----------



## Feira426

I got a crazy good photo of a young hawk yesterday. I was outside working on my fence and he landed pretty close to me and was just looking around. I started taking photos and slowly getting closer. By the time I took this one I probably could have reached out and touched his tail.


----------



## KY Goat Girl

That’s an amazing photo!


----------



## toth boer goats

Wow, amazing 😊


----------



## Boer Mama

Really cool - he’s definitely used to people working outside 😂


----------



## Moers kiko boars

Nature is so Beautiful.


----------



## toth boer goats

It sure is. 😊


----------

