Wildlife encounters: Any in your neighborhood?

1. 90

   Rochelle Frankposted 11 years ago

   Today we had a small bobcat harassing our ducks-- Never seen on on our property before, and though the ducks have a very secure enclosure, they were very agitated.

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      mary615posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I live in S. Florida and it is not uncommon to see Bobcats strolling around.  Our friends from "up north" are startled to see one just standing in their yard sometimes.  We have a lot of wildlife here.  I can see why the poor ducks were frightened.

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   2. 86

      Jason Marovichposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      We have no bobcats here.
      
      

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   3. 76

      Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I saw a coyote on my way to work one day. I live in a city in Ontario, Canada.

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      1. 90

         Rochelle Frankposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         We see coyotes occasionally-- and hear them a little more often. Like other canines they can adapt to various conditions. A nearby community has an annual Coyote Howl Festival.

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2. 61

   knolyourselfposted 11 years ago

   Oooooh lucky you saw a Bobcat. I have only seen one, and that from a distance. Used to have a lot of racoons, posum, deer, but then a few years ago the cyottees showed up and not so much any more or maybe just changes, as the cyottees move around. Have lots of wild turkeys and assorted birds, ravens - love their croaking. Been told there are
   Mountain Lions and Bobcat the other side of the
   hill but never seen any over here.

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   1. 90

      Rochelle Frankposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds similar to the fauna we have seen here. This is the first wildcat I have seen on our place--  Have heard reports of a mountain lion, but all of these try to avoid human habitation. Saw a small black bear last year in our yard.
      We have coyotes now and then, and have also seen a couple of foxes.
      I hope it remains wild enough around here to still acommodate wildlife. I don't like our hens to be in jeopardy--  we may have to secure them better.

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3. 90

   Rochelle Frankposted 11 years ago

   I have seen them only a couple of times in our area of the California Sierra Foothills, never on our property before. They are beautiful 'kitties', but usually try to avoid areas with humans. This one looked rather skinny-- maybe desperate.
   I had laid down for a little nap when I heard the ducks. I thought it might be a hawk, but no, a pretty kitty.  They are apparently very widespread across the U S of A.

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4. 61

   knolyourselfposted 11 years ago

   I had ducks in San Francisco once, but the racoons got them. Had a rabit at another place and racoons almost got him. We would let en run free on the padio in day, but had to catch him at night or the coons would get him. It got harder and harder to catch him as he constantly stragegized new means of escape. 'Bout killed myself sometimes. Couldn't do it anymore as old as I am now.

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   1. 90

      Rochelle Frankposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I have seen raccoons trying to break into the duck cage, as well. As inventive as they are, my husband knows how to build a secure aviary.
      If you have 'prey' animals, the predators will find out.

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5. 94

   jesimpkiposted 11 years ago

   We've got at least a couple foxes nearby our home.  They usually growl and bark at me whenever I walk outside at night, but I'm guessing they have a den (with young) nearby.

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6. 61

   knolyourselfposted 11 years ago

   Gold Country: Ever read Mark Twain's Roughing It?
   Great gold mining stories.

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   1. 90

      Rochelle Frankposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Of course-- though I need to re-read. Mark Twain and Teddy Roosevelt were both famous visitors to our area.

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7. 81

   Aficionadaposted 11 years ago

   We have a lot of deer in our neighborhood. I have seen prairie dogs in our backyard, but only once. We were visited by a skunk a couple of times, but fortunately it was not startled.   We have also seen a little red fox in the empty lot across the street, but I haven't seen it recently.
   
   We live well within city limits, surrounded by other houses.

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8. 0

   Brenda Durhamposted 11 years ago

   There's deer, squirrels, and coyotes near us.
   No bobcats that I know of.  But we're not out in the country either.

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   1. 81

      Aficionadaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Our neighborhood has been seeing a coyote frequently!  (still in the city )  Last week it wrought havoc on our garbage that had been set out for early morning pickup.
      

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9. 93

   SmartAndFunposted 11 years ago

   In our neighborhood we often see deer, rabbits, snakes and roadrunners. We hear coyotes howl when the trains pass, but have never seen one. Ducks, geese and cranes (or are those herons?) visit our pond. A hawk swooped down the other day and plucked a fallen baby bird off of our porch just as we were discussing the best way to get it back into its nest.

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10. 85

    rebekahELLEposted 11 years ago

    We have deer, snakes, racoons, cranes, armadillos, birds.. I've never seen a wild cat roaming around but I think they stay more in the non-inhabited wooded areas.
    A couple of summers ago when it was extremely hot here, I was in my pool. I looked up through the screen and saw a large raccoon asleep in the tree! I guess it felt my presence also and we both just looked at each other. I'm sure it needed a cooler place to nap, so I let it be.

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11. 93

    SmartAndFunposted 11 years ago

    rebekahELLE's story reminds me that on three separate occasions we have found a baby red-eared slider turtle in our pool skimmer basket. They were so cute and little, about the size of a 50-cent piece.
    

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    1. 85

       rebekahELLEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, I have also found a few interesting creatures in my skimmer basket, a small turtle as shown, tiny frogs, a baby snake. I always turn off the pump and fish them out, carefully, as sometimes they're still alive.
       
       One afternoon I found a snake swimming in the shallow part of the pool. I called my son for that one. He used a net and carried it across the street into the woods.
       
       Numerous times I've looked out to see sand hill cranes on the sidewalk leading to our front door.

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    2. 74

       jennzieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       So cute! I love turtles- wish I could find some around here.

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    3. 84

       Denise Handlonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       AWWWWWwwwww

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    4. 95

       leahleflerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Oh my goodness - that is the cutest turtle I've ever seen!

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          SmartAndFunposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Thanks, he (it?) was soooo cute. I kept him in a big plastic tub that day so my kids could see him when they got home from school. He hung out with with me all afternoon and was a nice little companion. We were tempted to keep him but even the kids agreed he needed to be set free in the pond.
          
          The poor little guy seemed very glad to be rescued from the skimmer basket!

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12. 96

    AliciaCposted 11 years ago

    Skunks and raccoons visit our garden and coyotes walk down our road. Once we were entertained by raccoons playing on the balcony, and I quite often smell skunk spray drifting into the house during the summer nights. My dog met a couple of baby skunks in my garden a few years ago and got sprayed.

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13. 85

    suziecat7posted 11 years ago

    Black bears are common here - I've had to remove my bird feeders again. Raccoons, fox, wild turkeys, possums are always around. It seems it depends on the weather what we will see. When it's dry, more critters come down from the high mountains.

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14. 81

    pstraubie48posted 11 years ago

    Working in the Ocala National Forest and traveling to work early in the morning, before cars had frightened them, it was not uncommon and most delightful to see a Momma deer and her children feeding on the lush grasses near the tiny road I traveled on.
    What was uncommon is what happened one morning as I pulled behind the school where I taught to unload materials. As rounded the corner of the building, 8 deer were by the back fence, munching away. My appearance startled them and they had a mini-stampede into each other. I quickly turned off my car and lights so they could settle down and find their way to escape from me!! What a breathtaking sight.
    No matter how many times I encounter them, I am always in awe.

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    1. 93

       SmartAndFunposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Oh wow, I would love to see eight at once. We were sitting on the front porch Friday night, and suddenly a young deer came running up from the neighbor's yard right into ours. I said "Oh look!" and it heard me and stopped and stood there very still right in front of us, for quite a while. Finally our big Labrador ran out into the yard to get his tennis ball (oblivious to the deer) and it ran off. It was beautiful. Seeing eight would be an experience!

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       1. 90

          Rochelle Frankposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          In my neighborhood I see deer every day-- sometimes up to 20 or more at a time.
          This past season I saw more multi-prong bucks than ever before, and witnessed a couple jousting matches.
          A couple of years ago we had a fawn born in our "front yard"-- we could watch from our living room window.
          Flowers, vegetables and ornamental plants here, do not have a chance without secure fencing.
          Even though they eat almost any plant-- I prefer them to alligators.

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          1. 93

             SmartAndFunposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             Sounds wonderful! I'm jealous! We were quite thrilled to be up close to just one.

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15. 95

    PaulGoodman67posted 11 years ago

    An alligator, armadillos, and a rather splendid lunar moth are my most recent encounters here in Florida (today).

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    1. 85

       rebekahELLEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       A gorgeous day here in sunny Florida.  I was sitting out by my pool this morning and heard rustling along the back fence. I figured it was a snake. I started reading and looked out towards the fence and noticed a black racer up against the screen, right next to me. I moved slightly and he scurried off towards the fence.
       A few minutes later I looked up again, and noticed he was under a bush with his neck up looking around. Finally he slithered off.
       
       How beautiful! The Ocala National Forest is such a beautiful section of Florida. It's like driving through a fairy land.

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16. 89

    JKennyposted 11 years ago

    In Britain, large or dangerous wild animals are non existent. The best wildlife encounters I've had is in the New Forest with the semi wild ponies and cattle. Although, I did get lucky and catch sight of a red deer stag before he ran off.

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17. 64

    CASE1WORKERposted 11 years ago

    My sister had a deer wander into the back garden ( our gardens are small over here)- oh yes it was Southampton, England

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    1. 89

       JKennyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Yep, not surprised about that CASE1WORKER. Southampton's literally right next door to the New Forest. I live in the Midlands and the only wild deer I ever see are the little muntjac deer that were imported from China.
       
       Although I do remember seeing wild roe deer a few times, and they are native to Britain.

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       1. 64

          CASE1WORKERposted 11 years agoin reply to this

          Ah; but I think what is more amazing is that they live in the middle of a housing estate- Mr Squirrel was not amused with his new co tenant.
          
          All we see are Foxes- loads of them! Where in the Midlands are you?

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          1. 89

             JKennyposted 11 years agoin reply to this

             I'm just south of Birmingham, in a town called Solihull.

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             1. 64

                CASE1WORKERposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                I am in Leicester, so not too far - we must have similar wid life- squirrels and foxes!

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18. 60

    erinmcmanus10posted 11 years ago

    A bear was just caught on the campus of my college the other day. The strange part is that our campus is in a city and nowhere near the woods.

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       Kathryn LJposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       He must have been busting for the loo:)

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19. 87

    Stacie Lposted 11 years ago

    I enjoy most of my wildlife encounters except for coyotes.
    There are rabbits, possum,coyotes, raccoons,hedgehogs, turtles and some wild cats...

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20. 84

    Denise Handlonposted 11 years ago

    I live in a rural area and there are lots of wildlife in the area: deer, coyote, raccoons, snapping turtles, a variety of birds, oppossoms, muskrats, etc.

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21. 69

    Pearldiverposted 11 years ago

    I'm in Bumble Town - NZ.... the Very Worst wildlife encounter I've seen, had to be:
    The mayor and one of his short councilors mounting a curb together in a back street, during the deer rutting season!

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22. 95

    leahleflerposted 11 years ago

    I live in rural Western NY. We have regular encounters with turtles, frogs, snakes, wild turkey, deer (by the dozens), black bear, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and possums. We've had three or four bears in our yard - one only 10 feet away, another crossing through the back of our yard. Our new neighbors are hunters, though, and he shot one of the bears this past November.

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    1. 93

       SmartAndFunposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Awwww, that is sad about the bear being shot. However, there are no bears here. If we had them in our backyard I might have a different opinion about that.

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23. 80

    LeanManposted 11 years ago

    The occasional monkey, a few snakes and so far managed to avoid the big hairy spiders..... oh and a beetle almost a foot long with huge pincers that it uses to open coconuts...
    
    But I'm currently out in the wilds of the Philippines...

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24. 53

    ocbillposted 11 years ago

    coyotes and mountain lions in So California mountain biking areas

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25. 59

    Dame Scribeposted 11 years ago

    It depends on the season for me. Spring to fall, deer, wolves, bears, birds, turtles, lynx, otters, porcupine winters, wolves, coyotes, lynx mostly ... oh and birds

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26. 77

    KevinTimothyposted 11 years ago

    Yes! Those doggone squirrels are always trying to sabotage our bird feeders.
    Also, those crocodiles that are just lounging around in local ponds like they own the place.
    (When in actuality, they do)

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27. 69

    Pearldiverposted 11 years ago

    Oh You Guys are so lucky having animals in your hood....
    
    All I have where I am are Feral people! 

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