Wildlife in our backyards

[Wade Hampton]

A couple of minutes ago I happened to glance out the window only to see an adult moose go striding by. It’s Alaska, so we’re used to this sort of thing, but the cow moose are very protective of their babies and this was a cow that I saw.

Plus my wife is out for a walk right now. I texted her and made sure she has her pepper spray with her, and hopefully her extra alertness will keep her from being blindsided on the way back to the house.

How about you? How many of you get critters in your yards, and is this problem on the upswing or on the decline where you live? Here in the Anchorage Bowl we’ve been getting more bear encounters, most alarmingly in places where bears have never been a problem before.

How about you? What animals do you see, and how dangerous are they? Here in Alaska moose actually hurt more people than the bears do, probably because people aren’t as afraid of them. But bears are generally more devastating when they do attack.

So what kind of critters do you get in your neighborhoods?


Wade Hampton Miller

[Dirk Hofman]

We have tons of deer, and therefore we have the things that hunt them, mountain lions. Didn't really know they came down here, then everyone started installing Ring doorbell cameras and capturing mountain lions strolling down the street at night and posting them on NextDoor.

[Brucebubs]

Lots of native birds and this guy was hanging around for a while too.

Blue Tongue Lizard - he's about a foot/12" long.

[Wade Hampton]

Mountain lions scare me, and I’m fearless! They’re dangerous animals.

For years residents of the Panhandle of Southeast Alaska have been saying that mountain lions have been coming in from British Columbia, but our state department of fish and game has steadfastly denied it.

Then somebody in Craig, Alaska shot a mountain lion that was on his front porch, and Fish & Game couldn’t deny the presence of the big kitties in Alaska any longer.

They were really surly about it, as I recall, and made statements about possibly charging the guy with some sort of violation, before cooler heads prevailed and the matter was dropped.

So, Bruce, what’s the deal with this blue tongued lizard? Is it toxic or poisonous or merely unattractive by human standards?


Wade Hampton Miller

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Mountain lions scare me, and I’m fearless! They’re dangerous animals.

For years residents of the Panhandle of Southeast Alaska have been saying that mountain lions have been coming in from British Columbia, but our state department of fish and game has steadfastly denied it.

Then somebody in Craig, Alaska shot a mountain lion that was on his front porch, and Fish & Game couldn’t deny the presence of the big kitties in Alaska any longer.

They were really surly about it, as I recall, and made statements about possibly charging the guy with some sort of violation, before cooler heads prevailed and the matter was dropped.

So, Bruce, what’s the deal with this blue tongued lizard? Is it toxic or poisonous or merely unattractive by human standards?


Wade Hampton Miller

No, I think they are quite lovely Wade.
I don't try to touch it (I'm not Steve Irwin) and I throw a little mince beef out for it if I'm feeding any native birds at the time.
We co-habit together quite peacefully.

Here's a shot I found online that gives you a better idea of their size.

[perttime]

I live in an apartment at the edge of a park. There's all sorts of harmless critters around: squirrels, hares, crows, magpies, gulls, small birds, hedgehogs, red foxes. Near the pond and the surrounding ditches, there's mallards and a few other kinds of ducks. I've encountered roe deer and moose a short distance from home. Oh, and a dead 'raccoon dog'.

Apparently brown bears sometimes pass through the forest areas, not far from me. Lynxes have been reported there, too, but seeing one takes either luck or skill.

[srick]

Even here in suburban Hartford, Connecticut, we have more than our share of bear, bobcats, coyote and fox. Sadly, over-development in rugged areas adjacent to the suburbs (read McMansions) has driven many of these animals out of their traditional habitats and into the housing subdivisions. And of course, folks are gob smacked when they see a bear and wonder what’s going on?



Plus, you have the “Yogi Bear syndrome”: IOW, why eat nuts and berries when you can tip the garbage can and scrounge last night’s roast chicken?



We’ve got a beautiful little back yard and all are welcome there. We just give some of the critters a wider berth. It’s springtime and there are dozens of mama birds, squirrels, possum and raccoons hanging out and raising their young.



Rick

PS-I think one of the most dreaded beasts in Connecticut is the deer tick which carries Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease is named for a town on the Connecticut coast. It’s a nasty little ailment that can plague you for years after exposure.

[srick]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Lots of native birds and this guy was hanging around for a while too.

Blue Tongue Lizard - he's about a foot/12" long.

I seem to remember numerous quotes about the flora and fauna of Australia including this one from Rosalind James:

“Everything in Australia is trying to kill you, haven't you heard? Half of the ten deadliest snakes in the world live in Queensland. And then there are the poisonous spiders and the jellyfish. Not to mention the crocs and the great white sharks. Another point in favor of New Zealand. Very benign place, En Zed.”

[Mark Hatcher]

We’re on the Greenway that runs from Maine through New Hampshire, into Mass. so we get a lot coming through. We get bobcats, coyotes, fox, coy wolves, fisher cats, black bears, moose and infrequent mountain lions. Like a previous responder mentioned NH Fish and Game doesn’t acknowledge the mountain lions. Rumor has it they don’t acknowledge mountain lions because they would have to work to protect them if they did. I saw one crossing the road in front of me so I have no doubts.
We don’t worry much about the predators we all try to stay away from each other.
My one funny story is about our cat, Enzo. He is a handsome Ragdoll but is not a very smart cat. He only goes out during the day, usually when we’re there with him. If there has been a bobcat or coyote around he stays right close with us but, the one smart thing he does do is if there has been a bear around he hides in the basement. Seems he has us sized up on just how much protection we will be!

[RP]

Living at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mts a few miles from Shenandoah Natl Park, my four-legged neighbors are black bear, white tailed dear, foxes, and other local craters...

[llew]

At my river cabin (off The Great Pee Dee River) we get just the opposite...gators, snakes, black bear, wild turkeys, all the game birds, etc. And since The Memorial Day crown has descended on the beach I'm headed that way today. Ahhh...crickets and owls and the occasional wood pecker. That's music to my ears!

[stokes1971]

Bears, coyotes, foxes.Have even had rare moose sightings nearby.Lots of coyotes,my neighbor behind me is a sheep farm, he regularly shoots nuisance coyotes.I live on the edge of a small hamlet surrounded by farm land.I actually have a "pet" bear I see regularly along one of the trails I walk my dogs on.My dogs have chased her off a few times.Last time I saw her she was walking behind some brush that runs along the trail.Couldnt see her at first but my dogs were quite alert to something as we walked.Came to a part where the brush cleared and there she was walking along parallel to us, about 50 ft away.For some reason the dogs just howled and didnt chase and she walked along with us for almost a quarter mile.When I first saw this girl 3 yrs ago she had a pair of cubs who have left now.For some reason when she had the cubs the dogs didnt chase, I guess they knew better.

[Silurian]

Not much exotic wildlife in the UK.

The only wild species I hear fairly regularly are young homo sapiens driving vehicles with gigantic sub-woofers in the back.

[Golffishny]

living in a small town we still see deer, turkey, foxes, raccoon, opossum, woodchucks, and the regular small critters.

[catdaddy]

The list of wildlife that has appeared on my property includes:

Birds: bald eagles, red-shouldered hawks, swallow-tailed kites, Mississippi kites, ospreys, barred owls, black vultures, turkey vultures, wild turkeys, sandhill cranes, great blue herons, great white egrets, white ibis, pied-billed grebes, black-bellied whistling ducks, wood storks, anhingas, and at least 50 different species of songbirds.

Mammals: otters, racoons, opossums, and deer

Reptiles: gators, soft-shelled turtles, cooters, cottonmouths, and coral snakes.

I consider myself fortunate that the coyotes and especially the wild hogs that I've seen regularly over the years in my immediate area have so far not invaded my personal property.