We obviously had visitors in the night. Ruby has spent the last hour running around the yard with her nose to the ground. Deer perhaps, although we haven’t seen any up close since the other day when one wandered up the lane while we were eating dinner. Half a dozen came by the week before, mid-afternoon, and stuck noses over the deck railing to see what was going on in the house.
The resident pair of swans are content on the lake this windless morning, and another handful just flew in to join them. Those won’t stay, it’s only the one pair that summers with us. Probably the same ones each year.
The lone goose who spends early mornings grazing in his favorite spot in the meadow is missing today. I worry that our yard visitor may have been a coyote who had the goose for breakfast.
The woodpecker that generally greets the sunrise has been silent this morning too. He was active pretty late last night, so maybe he’s sleeping in.
Yesterday, a pheasant settled into a corner of the yard fence to feed. Must have gotten all the goody; he hasn’t been back.
We’ve only seen one large garter snake, already deceased and half eaten. Dogs, or cats, probably.
Rabbits have been scarce, probably due to an overpopulation of coyotes, and the cats, who bring us one occasionally. But a bunny just hopped past the gate and the yard cat didn’t notice. We find bits of fur in the barn from time to time so the cats who live there must be diligent in population control. These cats are finicky, they catch mice but just leave them lying on the patio and if we toss them one that we trapped in this old house, they turn up their noses at it.
One species we haven’t had much contact with this spring is skunks and that’s unusual, but just fine with us. Maybe the drought has affected them too.
By now, you’ve deduced that I’m a nosy neighbor. At least I don’t gossip about the doings of the critters I spy on, and, except for the woodpecker and coyotes they’re pretty quiet.
Some of them mind their own business and others squabble or defend their territory to the death.
Whether you live in town or the country there’s a lot to pay attention to, so put down your devices and notice. It’s pretty interesting here in the real world.
Meet me here next week and meanwhile do your best. Somebody might like it.