Trail Camage 18

Here we have a mother racoon followed by some youngsters. 

Here they are again.  Is it the same group or another?  

Who knows...

Around this time, a raccoon was seen in broad daylight climbing the fence in an attempt to remove the orange left out for the Orioles.  

We have no picture of the attempted theft.  The groundskeeper was too busy yelling and waving her arms at the miscreant to record the event.

Memorial Day

 

The Riderless Horse is an old military tradition.  A horse is led behind the casket wearing an empty saddle with the rider’s boots reversed in the stirrups, indicating the warrior will never ride again.

As we do on this day each year, we remember the men and women who died fighting for our freedom.  Let us pause with gratitude for their sacrifice.

Trail Camage 17

Set up the camera just off the side of the garage.  The duck pen is a mere ten feet or so to the right.  Wanted to see activity there....

Racoon

Fox

Cat

Possum

Strangely cool temps for May.  Thus, the groundskeeper is wearing a hat with earflaps.

Spring grass grows and grows.  The groundskeeper is busy this time of year.

No unusual traffic detected...

Stay tuned.

Groundhog Close-up

Groundhogs, aka woodchucks, are rodents closely related to squirrels and are found in lowland areas in the eastern US, Canada and Alaska.

They spend much of their time underground in burrows that can be as much as 6 feet deep and 20 feet wide with multiple entrances.

Groundhogs are solitary creatures.  When it is time to mate, typically in early spring, a male groundhog will stroll into a female's burrow and mate with her.  

Gestation is 32 days.  Litters consist of 2-6 pups.  The youngsters stay with mother for 3-4 months.  Then they go out and dig their own burrows.

Groundhogs eat fruit, plants, grasses and tree bark.

Average life span is 3-6 years, weight is approximately 13 pounds.  They measure 17-24 inches from head to rump.

Groundhogs are homebodies.  They typically don't wander more than 50-150 feet from their den.

Groundhogs eat a lot during the summer and live off their fat while they hibernate in winter.

Love is in the Air

 Bunny love, that is.

Part of rabbit courtship involves leaping into the air.

Night moves..

Isn't it romantic...

Trail Camage 16

 We set up the trail cam in the back section.

Here are some nice looking deer. 

Next, we set the camera up by a hole in the ground.

This groundhog emerged.

Later, this coyote happened by.

Happy Easter

 

More Ducklings

 

Khaki Campbells and Cayugas!  This group is a week old.

Last year's plans to invigorate the laying flock were thwarted by covid restrictions.  Hopefully, there will be more ducks than drakes in this batch.

Ducks typically continue to  lay eggs when they are four, five, six years old.  Trouble is, they slow down and as we have found with the older gals here at Bad Dog Ranch, their egg shells become thinner with age.

I can be a bit of an oaf, but I like to think after having done it a few times I can manage to handle eggs without breaking them.  In the past couple months, I've broken three or four eggs just picking them up and putting them down.  The shells are not as hard.  They just aren't.

For the squeamish in the audience, we won't get into what happens to ducks who don't lay well anymore, just as we don't mention what happens to excess drakes.

I have a mantra:  they are NOT pets... they are NOT pets... 

 In addition to the mantra, it is also helpful for my tender heart to remember that the birds in my care are given the very best life I can provide.