The world's largest spider the Huge Pantropical Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda venatoria) is alive and well and living in Florida Backyards. At about 3 1/2 inches wide and 4 1/2 inches long it is the largest of the Backyard spiders I have documented. Also called a Giant Crab Spider, it is an introduced species from Asia that is now living wild in subtropical areas of Florida. Ambush hunting for large insects like Palmetto Bugs and small lizards at night. Note this one only has seven legs. They are beneficial spiders that should not be killed. More information can be found at:
Male Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly (Calopteryx maculata) closely related to Dragonflies it was filmed over a small stream in the Great Smoky Mountains - its typical riparian environment. This was filmed hand-held with the Canon SX60 HS at full 1365 mm optical zoom - no excuses, but a bit shaky at times.
Sounds of a Ruffed Grouse Hen calling. This Hen with chicks was spotted along the roadside in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina at the extreme southern end of its North American range. The video shot at great distance is shaky, but the fascinating array of alarm, distress and distraction calls are very good - crank up the volume. One who is not familiar with Ruffed Grouse would not guess these were bird calls from the same bird. Varying between the sound of a small dog barking, a cat meowing or an injured small animal such as a rabbit the Hen runs into the deep forest cover to protect her chicks who instinctively hunker down in the tall grass and will not move until she returns. All the while distracting any predator away from the chicks with her unusual vocalizations.
Red Squirrel accidentally introduced to a salted roast peanut for the first time does something totally unexpected - it begins to lick the peanut for several minutes - I run to get my camera and he continues savoring it I guess for the salty mineral content of the peanut shell and never opens or eats it. In fact, he carefully puts it away in a safe place for later use as a salt lick and eats some more bird seed. Of course, you should not feed squirrels salted peanuts - I'll eat the rest of the bag!
Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird has claimed this small feeder as his own now that spring flowers have declined. This video, taken in very poor morning light, is a good example of how the ruby-throat can look pitch black at times and then light up like a Christmas bulb when he decides to flash it - even in an early morning overcast.
For HD hummingbird videos from the Backyard check out the Playlist:
Unusual behavior for a Wild Red Rat Snake as it is known in Florida - also called Corn Snake - visits the Backyard and wants to go one way at sunset - under the patio storage box - and will not be deterred by me. It is Rat Snake mating season in Florida and perhaps that has something to do with its unusual behavior. This particular line of Rat Snakes are among the most beautiful snakes in the world and are very gentle and should never be killed. This is a relatively small one at 3 feet in length, but quite skinny. To see a large one check out:
Big Pileated Woodpecker aka "Woody Woodpecker" Part Two. The big "Woody" returns to the woods behind the backyard to show how a woodpecker really pecks wood! Actually quite amazing to see in this clip especially how they use their specially adapted neck and head like a hammer to put tremendous power to the wood!
3-4 foot long Black Racer Snake hunting for Anole lizards along the fence line in the Backyard. This is a good size for a Racer. One of the daytime snakes in the Backyard they will move incredibly fast if surprised in the open - moving almost straight like an arrow they are amazing - thus the name "Racer". Here surprised next to the fence they make a slow stealthy retreat - note - unless cornered they will always retreat. These are sweet,non-venomous beneficial snakes and should not be harmed.
Carolina Wren visits the Florida Backyard. A first-time species and capture! Not long, and shot through the glass window, but it shows the challenges of capturing a fast moving bird and at least succeeding and documenting this bird in the Backyard. I see Carolina Wrens often in North Carolina - they are said to be year round residents of Florida, but in over 20 years I have not seen one in the Backyard until now!
Wild Turkey Hen with at least six poults has discovered me filming her and begins a series of unusual alarm calls or "Putts" to alert her young and any other turkeys in the area to danger. She gathers the poults and begins to lead them to safety into the deep forest. Filmed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The story of the Bengal – Tabby mix feral cat that lives wild in the jungle behind the backyard continues – past videos on this cat are listed below.
As an avid birder and an animal lover I began studying this amazing cat just as one would any animal – and he has forced me to reconsider my preconceived notions about feral cats. I'm working on a new full length documentary about this cat after a lucky breakthrough finding its daytime lair and have crossed through the portal into the wild to film in his secret nocturnal world!
Nearly everyone has an opinion about feral cats – but who talks about invasive rats?
The Roof Rat, Palm Rat, fruit rat or Rattus Rattus – the lesser known of the two introduced rats in the US - infests Florida and much of the Southeast U.S. There are tens of millions of them in the Southeast and hundreds just in the jungle behind the Backyard.
They live in trees in the wild, but also like the thick brush and marshy habitat of drainage ditches and canals surrounded by Pametto thickets and use fence lines and powerlines as their highways. They are omnivorous, and can have four to six litters a year, with six to eight babies per litter.
In six months of studying this cat I did not document any significant negative impact on the birds and small daytime mammals in my backyard such as squirrels – but I clearly observed the negative impact of the invasive roof rat.
Not a single cavity nesting bird or bird nesting in Palmetto's have a snowball's chance in hell of having a successful nest in a tree with these rodents around. That is probably why all my protected nest boxes have birds fighting and waiting in line to use them! The rats are relentless in displacing birds from nesting sites even eating their eggs .
This feral cat spends all night - every night - hunting rats and lizards and anything else it can find to survive, but birds are generally out of the cats reach, but not the reach of the rats with their amazing climbing and jumping ability to reach almost any nest in any tree.
There is much more to the secret world of this feral cat. Stay tuned for the whole story coming in July!
