Feeding - raccoon and chickadees

The male chickadee feeds the female while she remains on the eggs. This video shows the two views - the male outside the box and the female inside getting fed. 

YouTube Video  https://youtu.be/9xtxBi2g1Aw

The raccoon was out feeding early and stayed for about an hour.  The seed was all gone by midnight.

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Mike Mason

Early, on time, too late.....

The raccoon was early - before the food was down, on time - just after it was down, and the coyote was too late - nearly all gone!!!!

The chickadees were busy all day at the nest.

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Mike Mason

More nesting and a sweet tooth raccoon

The chickadee is still adding nesting material, while brooding.  

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/dTKD5xRLkKQ

It seems that raccoons have a sweet tooth and love pineapple..... 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/0C1ALLvheO4 

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Mike Mason

Evening raccoon and still six eggs......

Still six eggs with the chickadee spending more time sitting on them.  

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/tezCnwPKEF4

As the nights get shorter we see the raccoon out in the evenings and the mornings. 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/m6LrS4k3sic 

Coyote still turning up in the middle of the night.

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Mike Mason

A busy shed night and six eggs in the nesting box

Lots of activity under the shed - early evening while it was still light - then later two raccoons at the same time dived under. 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/PuX0_8x0Roo 

The chickadee moved over and revealed six eggs....  

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/FFHNxEfJtsE

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Mike Mason

intruder into the nesting box.....

We have the chickadee spending the night in the nest box with the eggs - but I've seen this intruder (a wren??) checking out the box from time to time.  

I need Janie's advice on how to protect the chickadees?

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/cIFQua_yFw0

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Mike Mason

Bird eggs & Coyotes...

We had a visit from the two coyotes.  Then we saw 4 eggs in the nesting box!!!!

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Mike Mason

Rib bone taste test....

The possums and the raccoons seem just as happy with Firebirds rib bones as they are with City BBQ and Bullwinkles!!!!

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/kmPnpTaM57s  

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Mike Mason

An extraordinary night!!!!

This is a video showing the first egg laid by the chickadee. Hopefully first of many.  

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/PfaLKl6W5cc

This is two extraordinary shots of the possum. The first is when the possum has come out from under the shed and is cleaning its pouch - you can see some movement in the pouch!!! (Little possums!!!) Then there is a daylight shot of it taking leaves into the nest.  

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/Iv1W7V0JoXk

Not be forgotten, the chipmunk and rabbit shared some seed.  Finally, the fox stopped by.

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Mike Mason

Chickadee & Raccoons

The chickadee spent the night in the nest - no eggs yet.  And the raccoons were wrestling again...

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Mike Mason

Texas Toast - again.....

The raccoon got the City BBQ Texas Toast - again - possums were too late!!!  

The chickadee (which needs a name!!!) spent the night in the nest again - they spend most of the day out now - I guess feeding up before the eggs arrive.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/bVb8xw7BK9U

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Mike Mason

Nesting and a new camera postion.

We re-positioned one of the cameras yesterday - and it was quickly found by a rabbit.  Not sure why the raccoon decided to stand up - its dark out there so its not going to see any better...

The chickadees seen to have settled in. Only a few visits during the day - to add to the nest - but still spent the night in the nest. 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/_wItdNCH1Zc 

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Mike Mason

Raccoons almost share, and the chickadee stays in the nest box overnight.

These raccoons just couldn't share with each other - but the possum was quiet happy.... 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/qCGT7vkInZE

The chickadees continue to build the nest - and one stayed in over-night. 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/HQY6vMzU0D8 

 

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Mike Mason

The chickadees nest building and raccoons grooming each other....

The chickadees are hard at working building their nest. 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/dXBB8O_qipw 

A pair of raccoons snuggling and grooming each other. 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/tVQogylQwyo 

The two chickadees are very different in size (male and female) same scale on the photos.

And the raccoons had a snuggle...

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Mike Mason

Easter Bunny, Nesting Bird, and a possum follow up...

Our little bird is moving into the nesting box.... Hard at work building the nest.  

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/pDhlqFNw8hQ

We also had a visit from the Easter bunny.

Yesterday there was video of the possum with leaves going under the shed.  It seems this is normal nesting behavior for a possum - to carry the leaves with its tail!!

(The Opossum Scociety of the United States has a video and explanation at

https://opossumsocietyus.org/opossum-nest-building/ ) 

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Mike Mason

Very unusual activity from the possums

Lots of activity in and out from under the shed. But most unusual of all - the possum when under with leaves on its tail.

I thought they had just stuck there ( lack of T.P.??? ) but it happened again.

I suspect a nest being built.    Best seen on the video.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/v_qNML4j2zU

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Mike Mason

Brave Rabbit

We always get raccoons sharing, sometimes raccoons and possums, but this time a rabbit was almost going to share with a raccoon!!  Wasn't quite brave enough....

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Mike Mason

Morning Raccoon

This raccoon was out and about at 7:00am this morning.  

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/_x6---NloQM

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Mike Mason

Shed hide-away.......

One raccoon dived under the shed to get away from another - later the raccoon and possum happily shared.....  

(The bird box had three visits yesterday and one this morning.....)

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/ChUo3FRRTxk

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Mike Mason

The Bird Box is back......

Last year we had a bird box - with camera - on the side of the house.  Unfortunately, the snake decided it wasn't a nesting box - but a food supply!!!!

( Snake link - sorry Paula )  https://wildlifeoaknoll.blogspot.com/2019/06/no-longer-bird-box-now-snake-box.html 

The snake could get from the roof to the box.  It also turns out that snakes can climb a brick wall!!!

The year the box is suspended from a shepherds hook - we can stop the snakes and squirrels climbing it by spraying with cooking oil - they end up sliding down!!!

After all of that, the box went out on Monday, and on Tuesday we had our first bird checking it out.

 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/YqYu0CGv5UE

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Mike Mason

Possum waking up.....

Even a possum waking up needs to give a big yawn and wash up..... 

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/1mrN7hyd9cw

 

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Mike Mason

Outback rib bones.....

We have a variety of rib bones - yesterday was Outback - only two went out, and the possum got one, while the fox got the other. The raccoons weren't bothered with them.

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/5WPTf30gV5g  

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Mike Mason

Rib bones and party central......

The fox enjoyed Firebird's rib bones as much as it enjoyed City BBQ. Then underneath the shed seems to be party central - squirrel in and out, and raccoons in and out........  

YouTube Video https://youtu.be/b6ZeqdmnCFU

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Mike Mason

All sharing - except the fox.....

Just pictures today - every one sharing except the fox....  Even a rabbit!!!

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Mike Mason