Wildlife: Interesting sightings - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Zeus · #16 06-26-2007, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

The coolest thing I've seen is the increase in bald eagle activity along the CT River here in central CT. The nests are huge, easily 5' across. There aren't a lot of visible nests, but I would imaging that most of them are smart enough to keep them away from the people. For these parts it's a big deal. They are a sight to see in flight. Truly mesmerizing.

They're awesome birds! I've seen them in Eastern Canada - in Cape Breton and also out in Vancouver. I also once saw one flying high at our cottage in northern Quebec. That was a rare sighting. I know what you mean about them flying - they are majestic.

I visited Maere Island, off Vancouver Island in BC. It was truly a unique experience. Like stepping into Jurassic Park. Ancient cedars and pines towered into the sky. Massive bald eagle nests were everywhere. Truly incredible - and sad - that such primitive places still exist in small pockets. The island was scheduled to be logged, but was saved by public pressure.

Stoneseller · #17 06-26-2007, 09:40 AM

I have several piliated woodpeckers that hang around my property & peck on the dead or dying scrub pine trees. The trees are infested with some type of beetle, as explained to me by an arborist when I bought the property. Those peckers are quite fun to watch. Their flight is very cool. I also see quite a number of hawks, and the occasional owl.

The wildlife that drives me crazy are those friggin whitetail deer. The woods around me are full of them. They can really wipe out gardens in short order. My daylillies are just now swelling out their flower buds. I've been spraying them every few days with that smelly rotten egg/garlic "Invisible Fence" product in hopes of seeing some blooms this year before the deer devour them. Ah, the pains & pleasures of country living.

Mistress · #18 06-26-2007, 09:46 AM

i'm going to try and paste the Hawk link herehttp://www.palemale.com/june2007.html

t walgamuth · #19 06-26-2007, 10:10 AM

We see an occasional eagle here. They are coming back strongly in INdiana in variuos locations.

very excititng to see one in a tree. They are so big you get a feeling of loss of scale with them.

Tom W

raymr · #20 06-26-2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoneseller

I have several piliated woodpeckers that hang around my property & peck on the dead or dying scrub pine trees. The trees are infested with some type of beetle, as explained to me by an arborist when I bought the property. Those peckers are quite fun to watch. Their flight is very cool. I also see quite a number of hawks, and the occasional owl.

Same here. Those woodpeckers look almost pre-historic. We also have some herons that visit our pond for a quick snack. They dip their heads in the water, grab a frog, then bring their heads straight up and swallow 'em whole!

dannym · #21 06-26-2007, 11:59 AM

I like to mountain bike out in the woods. One day I was out in Wekiwa State Park riding. This area is well known for bear migration. So I'm riding around and come across this huge black bear. It stood up on it's hind legs to look at me just as I saw him. He was taller than me and I'm 6 feet. He took off but ran across the trail I was on from left to right and disappeared into the woods. I was just glad he wasn't running towards me.

Danny

raymr · #22 06-26-2007, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannym

I like to mountain bike out in the woods. One day I was out in Wekiwa State Park riding. This area is well known for bear migration. So I'm riding around and come across this huge black bear. It stood up on it's hind legs to look at me just as I saw him. He was taller than me and I'm 6 feet. He took off but ran across the trail I was on from left to right and disappeared into the woods. I was just glad he wasn't running towards me.

Danny

I would have needed a change of bike shorts after that, me thinks.

Dee8go · #23 06-26-2007, 04:01 PM

Yeah, encountering large wildlife on their own turf like that is rather unsettling.

I remember seeing a mother bear and her two cubs amble across the raod somewhere in the Grand Canyon a few years ago. It was fun to watch. One can almost forget how fierce that mother bear would be if you approached one of her cubs . . . They're just so cute-looking.

t walgamuth · #24 07-02-2007, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

i'm going to try and paste the Hawk link herehttp://www.palemale.com/june2007.html

The palemale site was pretty cool, what was the bird he was feeding his chick?

Tom W

cudaspaz · #25 07-02-2007, 09:14 AM

I used to live in western Pennsylvania on a farm.

I swear, we could have filmed Mrty Stouffords wild America shows there.

I used to watch big bucks sparring with the younger ones at play.

I had my own dogs go run and play with coyotes.

I saw owls pluck puppies from tall grass.

I caught a young red-tailed hawk and gave it to the game commision.

One of the coolest things was when I saw a small bird picking on a red tailed hawk like they always do, but this time I was driving to my house on the farm road.The hawk was gliding ahead of my truck into a large field and the little bird actually landed on the hawks back and sat there for about 100 ft of flight.

I had baby racoons come on the front porch to play like kittens.

The only bad thing is that there were so many deer there, you were always having them jump in front of your car, but hunting season was, in my view, the best you could ever hope for.

I wish they would actually make that area free of development just due to the volume and variety of animals there.

When I was not out hunting, I used to just walk in the woods to see what kinda crazy creatures I could see.

t walgamuth · #26 07-02-2007, 08:41 PM

[QUOTE=cudaspaz;1552038]I used to live in western Pennsylvania on a farm.

I swear, we could have filmed Mrty Stouffords wild America shows there.

I used to watch big bucks sparring with the younger ones at play.

I had my own dogs go run and play with coyotes.

I saw owls pluck puppies from tall grass.

I caught a young red-tailed hawk and gave it to the game commision.

One of the coolest things was when I saw a small bird picking on a red tailed hawk like they always do, but this time I was driving to my house on the farm road.The hawk was gliding ahead of my truck into a large field and the little bird actually landed on the hawks back and sat there for about 100 ft of flight.

I had baby racoons come on the front porch to play like kittens.

The only bad thing is that there were so many deer there, you were always having them jump in front of your car, but hunting season was, in my view, the best you could ever hope for.

I wish they would actually make that area free of development just due to the volume and variety of animals there.

For inspiration you might want to watch Miss Potter.

Tom W

t walgamuth · #27 07-02-2007, 08:49 PM

When I was about 12 one day I was sitting in a tree reading a book. (Yeah, I actually did that). And I hear this buzzing sound. So I look around and see a wasp with a cicadia held by a couple of its feet making its way up the trunk of the tree by flapping its wings like crazy and walking on the tree with a couple or so of its remaining legs. I look at this wasp carrying this dead cicadia that is at least three times its mass and marvel at its ingenuity. And wonder......why is it dragging this cicadia up into the tree.

So it climbs right up past me and when it is maybe twelve feet above the ground it lets go of the tree trunk and takes off flying.....pretty much straight for the ground.... and just as it is maybe two feet off the ground it levels off, as if once it got up to a certain speed it could carry the big bug but, you know, it needed the boost to get it up to that speed so it climbed the tree.

Ever since I wonder what type of intelligence an insect has to be able to figure out how high to climb?

True story.

Every time I think of it I marvel.

Tom W

Eskimo · #28 07-02-2007, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

When I was about 12 one day I was sitting in a tree reading a book. (Yeah, I actually did that). And I hear this buzzing sound. So I look around and see a wasp with a cicadia held by a couple of its feet making its way up the trunk of the tree by flapping its wings like crazy and walking on the tree with a couple or so of its remaining legs. I look at this wasp carrying this dead cicadia that is at least three times its mass and marvel at its ingenuity. And wonder......why is it dragging this cicadia up into the tree.

So it climbs right up past me and when it is maybe twelve feet above the ground it lets go of the tree trunk and takes off flying.....pretty much straight for the ground.... and just as it is maybe two feet off the ground it levels off, as if once it got up to a certain speed it could carry the big bug but, you know, it needed the boost to get it up to that speed so it climbed the tree.

Ever since I wonder what type of intelligence an insect has to be able to figure out how high to climb?

True story.

Every time I think of it I marvel.

Tom W

Look up "cicada killer" some time in a web search; that's their way of doing business.

Very cool to be able to observe behavior such as that up close and in person!

t walgamuth · #29 07-02-2007, 09:58 PM

I read a couple of links about them. Thanks for the suggestion. I had no idea that that was their main purpose in life. I just figured that it happened along upon a dead cicada and decided to carry it home to its family for Sunday Dinner!

The flying behavior was amazing, still.

Tom W