No longer a bird box..... now a snake box???

If you don't like snakes - go no further.

The empty bird box still attracted the snake, which spent a while in it last evening.

A brief YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/SdmDIYZdyVI

Two pictures - in the box and looking out.

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Mike Mason

One raccoon too many for the cat....

The cat seems happy to share with one raccoon - but two is one too many.....

YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/Ql4qo13TxFo

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Mike Mason

Gang of Five and Gang of Four

A busy "cub night" we had the gang of five and gang of four visiting.  The mothers have very different coloring - one light (with three cubs) and one darker (with four cubs.)

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Mike Mason

A sharing night....

First, the cat ("Janie's next cat??") was sharing the food trays with a raccoon for almost 20 minutes.

YouTube Video (10 seconds of the 20 minutes) : https://youtu.be/Xx8nfkuPAeY

Then a possum and raccoon shared.

Finally, three regular raccoons were together......

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Mike Mason

Cats, raccoons and birds......

We cleaned out the remains of the bird nest in the nesting box - and it is being checked out again...

Also the cat and raccoon really couldn't get along....

YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/HgPqLVQ3XfU

Finally, this raccoon always seem to sit in the food bowl - this time leaving a leg out!!!

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Mike Mason

Forgetting the squirrels......

I send a lot of pictures and video of raccoons, possums, etc - but we have squirrels around all the time - and, although they are a pain at times, they soon know when a seed block is out.  This one hangs upside down to feed.

Trapeze Squirrel YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/mrPKHkALVSI

 

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Mike Mason

A hummingbird - and the gang of five.......

We've not seen many hummingbirds this year - but this was one from yesterday.  Also the gang of five spent a while out back over night.

Hummingbird YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/wNJLadeH_vQ

Gang of Five

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Mike Mason

Cat, possum and three raccoons just hanging out.......

The cat was happy until the possum walked in - and they didn't know what to make of each other - so in the end they just ignored each other.....  

YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/023GaJqwW0Y

These three guys seem to be regular evening visitors.

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Mike Mason

Two raccoon families......

Two different raccoon families visited last night - the gang-of-five - mother with four cubs, and a new gang-of-four - mother with three cubs.

YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/4MwplhTb1oY

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Mike Mason

Eventful Night - Chicks fledged and a new gang of five....

The three chicks fledged last evening at about 7:30 - we are now empty nesters....  I will put a video together of them leaving - took about 20 minutes from first to last.

Last year we had the gang of five - Mother and Four cubs.  We have a repeat this year - first visit last night of all five!!!!

YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/HVlicABIz_U

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Mike Mason

The three chicks are doing well

All three chicks are doing well - they now seem to sleep at night and are very active in the day -  feeding and moving around.  They seem to be getting flight and tail feathers, so hopefully they will be flying soon.

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Mike Mason

Three healthy chicks - and a video of one of the grizzlies we saw in Canada

The three chicks are looking good - and I hope they stay that way....  Also a video of the grizzly we saw in Canada - happily eating dandelions.....  Rather than us.......

Bear YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/4L6uVpG0wBw

Chicks YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/sUYbUrEC25o

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Mike Mason

An attempt to protect the bird house.....

I found some snake repellent at the hardware store and have put some on top of the bird house.  (You can see the granules on the top.)  I then checked that the parent birds were still happy to go in and out.  I hope this will give enough time for the chicks to make it.

  

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Mike Mason

The there were three......

The bad news.   The snake returned and took another chick last night.  I'm not showing the pictures.  I've searched for ways to stop snakes getting to nesting boxes - and there doesn't seem to be a successful way - and certainly none that I could add to the box while the nest is there.  I'm hoping that the snake is full for a few days, which might give the remaining chicks a chance to fledge.

On other news.  This raccoon is our regular visitor - day and night - it can be identified by the base of its tail - which seems to miss a band of fur!

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Mike Mason

Three evening raccoons

These three raccoons were out during the evening.  The one on the left is a regular visitor - and it backs in - the one in the middle is sitting in the bowl - which it has done a few times.

YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/Nk46XQG9XRc

PS - All the chicks are OK today - the mother stayed in the nest with them last night.

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Mike Mason

Then there were four.......

Last night a snake paid a visit into the bird box!!  I have the whole video sequence of it attempting to eat one of the chicks - which was too big for the snake - so it regurgitated it - but it had already suffocated.

The picture is the snake in the box.  Like the turkey vulture eating the raccoon the other week, the video is graphic - so if you want to see it let me know?

The remaining four are very healthy and active this morning.

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Mike Mason

The chicks are growing - but there was 6, now only 5.....

The chicks are growing, but we seem to have lost one.  There was seven eggs, and six hatched, but only five visible now. They are starting to flap their wings.

YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/HPe9emY3378

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Mike Mason

Bird House chicks....

We are back and the chicks are being fed.  I only can count six mouths demanding food - so we may only have six out of the seven eggs hatched.  The parents are hard at work keeping them fed.

YouTube Video : https://youtu.be/MhM3JrPa3D8

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Mike Mason

Another bear and bald eagle

This bear was happily feeding and ended up pretty close - as you can see from the barrier in the photo.  Also another bald eagle shot....

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Mike Mason

All Eggs have hatched....

While we are away - the bird house camera has kept watching the eggs. 

They have ALL hatched . we will pull more pictures and video when we get home.

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Mike Mason

Jasper Canada - Day 2 & 3

We were back late last night - so here is Day 2 - a train trip.

Count 1 Elk and 6 black bears:

Day 3 - A boat trip:  Count 2 black bears and 2 bald eagles.

We are having a great time.....  Not been eaten by a bear .... yet!!!

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Mike Mason