Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Squirrel Uses Tool To Clean and Sharpen Teeth


Amazing close-up of a Red Squirrel clearly using a special tool to maintain its dental hygiene. I have seen squirrels chew on various wood surfaces before, but never one that clearly had a precious special tool! Notice how the squirrel carefully stores and verifies security of his giant stimudent in the crotch of a branch for later use.

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Squirrel Uses Tool To Clean and Sharpen Teeth

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Eastern Bluebird


A short video of a Bluebird hunting bugs at dusk. An antidote to the recent snake videos :-) While fairly common I am not usually in places where Bluebirds call home so this is the first one I have caught on video for the channel.


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Eastern Bluebird



Monday, May 28, 2018

Smallest Snake Encounter


Close up and personal. This young Ringneck Snake is the smallest and cutest snake you are ever likely to encounter. An exact miniature in every detail of a big snake this little one would fit on my thumbnail curled up.
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Smallest Snake Encounter
Smallest Snake Encounter

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Groundhog Couple's True Eskimo Kiss


A true Eskimo Kiss or Inuit Kiss is not really Nose to Nose (nose Kiss) but nose to cheek or forehead and breathing in - Here the Groundhogs do it perfectly one after the other - watch closely and enjoy. Partially a sign of affection, but also important for bonding and being in touch with each other. Male and female Groundhogs (Woodchucks) pair up and mate in Spring and this cute couple was spotted deep in the high Smoky Mountain Forest. It is rare to get a private view into their lives - they do not see me - but sense something is out there and then relax and go about their hectic day. People typically see them in roadside fields and yards, but they like it just fine in the forest with a nearby meadow. In this case a storm blew down a stand of large trees creating an opening in the dense forest that was soon overtaken by grasses and the Groundhogs found a great secluded spot. Don't worry I wont tell about their secret hideout! BTW did you know that Groundhogs and Marmots are really the largest member of the squirrel family tree. No wonder I find them irresistible....


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Groundhog Couple's True Eskimo Kiss


Saturday, May 26, 2018

Henslow's Sparrow Song


The relatively rare and near-threatened Henslow's Sparrow singing its simple song. An uncommon and famously inconspicuous bird, the Henslow's Sparrow breeds in weedy grasslands of the east-central United States. Its population numbers have declined steadily over the past few decades, largely because of habitat loss. This sighting was pure luck while driving through mixed grass and brush hilly reclaimed coal strip mine habitat in southeast Ohio. At first I didn't know what kind of sparrow it was but that it was unusual. This bird was filmed at very long range with digital zoom enabled so the image is not as clear as usual.


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This thumbnail image adapted from Magnus Manske https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... Creative Commons 2.0 license.
Henslow's Sparrow Song

Friday, May 25, 2018

Black Rat Snake - Up Close and Personal


A five-foot long Black Rat Snake and I get to know each other.
I talk to birds and squirrels so why not snakes. Join me in a conversation with this beautiful Black Rat Snake. High in the Great Smoky Mountains mature Rat Snakes are black in Florida they tend to be red and brown. They are highly beneficial and should never be harmed, but rather enjoyed! If you have a fear or general dislike of snakes this is a great species to learn to appreciate snakes. You might wonder why I don't pick up and play with the gentle creature - I don't because I am after observing their natural behavior in their environment as much as possible, holding a snake for show is not my style.

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Black Rat Snake - Up Close and Personal


Thursday, May 24, 2018

White Tailed Deer Meditation


A handsome young male White Tailed Deer is grazing in a beautiful meadow full of tall grass. Time to relax and enjoy Nature at its finest. The soundtrack is bird songs.


Filmed behind my parents Backyard in Ohio.

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White Tailed Deer Meditation

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Rare Blond Raccoon

Rare view of a blond Raccoon on my trail cam in the Great Smoky Mountains when I returned. Not an Albino but light blond. You can see the contrast to a typical Raccoon companion. Once in Florida I saw a light red Raccoon. I'll try and get a natural light video of this beautiful creature.
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Rare Blond Raccoon

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

American Robin Song and Call


The cheerful sounds of an American Robin singing its heart out! Given the common sound of Robins calling around the yards with clucks and generally unmelodious calls we may forget just how beautifully they can sing. This one jumps up on center stage clears his throat and gives a performance worthy of any Backyard songbird - Enjoy! Despite the commonness of American Robins there is not a lot of film of them actually singing - mostly just static images, this is the first time I've caught a really nice example of the Robin singing and they can belt out a tune. Filmed in my parents Backyard in Southeastern Ohio.


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American Robin Song and Call

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Prostrate Squirrels Defeat Blue Jays Fake News Trolling


Blue Jays Troll with Fake News - no problem! Squirrel assumes a prostrate position to keep a low profile to avoid predators. This clever squirrel assumes the position while eating bird seed out in the open where hawks might pick them off and they can resist the Blue Jays constant trolling to get them to move their big butts and scurry away from the seed in fear. He lies totally flat and prostrate with his rear claws dug into the wood while eating happily away as the Blue Jays Troll away with near perfect false Red Shouldered Hawk News!


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Saturday, May 19, 2018

Blue Jay Rusty Pump Handle or Squeaky Gate Calls


Amazingly loud "rusty pump handle" or "squeaky gate" sounds of bird songs or calls driving you crazy - what is that - its Blue Jays! I have never heard these calls from all the Blue Jays in Florida, but high in the Great Smoky Mountains this is the most common sound the Blue Jays make and it echoes through the forests off and on all day. The Blue Jays are in mated pairs and after awhile I realized if I first heard these calls nearby it meant that they were heading to the sunflower feeder and waited but even then it was hard to get video of them actually making these calls.


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Thursday, May 17, 2018

Cute Young Red Squirrels in a Basket



Irresistibly precocious Red Squirrel youngsters are out of the nest and quickly becoming friends. What better way to celebrate a return to Backyard North!


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Cute Young Red Squirrels in a Basket

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Big Snake Photobombs Chillin Squirrel (The Dude)


"The Dude" of Gray Squirrels Abides - I love this guy - he has set a new standard for not getting excited! More on that later. Have you seen those You Tube videos of the heroic squirrels bravely taking on big snakes to protect their family and territory - well lets just say this is - not -one of those videos!


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Big Snake Photobombs Chillin Squirrel (The Dude)

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak Female


Female Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks look like gigantic finches with huge, powerful beaks that can easily crack sunflower seeds and eat them as fast as squirrels as you'll see in this clip. I was excited to get this footage because I have only ever captured fleeting glimpses of the male bird and never the female. The high terrain of the southern Appalachians is at the extreme southern end of their breeding range. This bird was rather tolerant of me being so close. I have heard their beautiful singing before, but never captured it on film.


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Rose-Breasted Grosbeak Female


Monday, May 14, 2018

Jack In The Pulpit Colony




Fascinating and beautiful Wildflower - May is Jack in the Pulpit wildflower season in the Smokies and I find a large wild colony centered around a very old large specimen next to a heavily shaded spring. Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), also commonly called Indian turnip, is a shade requiring species found in rich, moist, deciduous woods and floodplains. A long lived perennial (25+ years), it will spread and colonize over time from an acidic corm. Bright red seeds will show in late summer or early fall, I'll try and check back on those.
https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pla...

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Jack In The Pulpit Colony

Saturday, May 12, 2018

Baby Owl Adores Mothers - Happy Mothers Day!





The only baby Screech Owlet absolutely adores her Mother. Some say animals do not have or display real emotions, but long-time animal observers like myself and many scientists have found and observed otherwise. Of course debate continues and you can Google the topic and read up, but if you watch animals a lot I think you know the answer. For now, just enjoy the incredible bond that has developed between the only baby owlet and her Mother. Mother's voice was imprinted on the owlet for several weeks while still in the egg and then constant care, companionship, and communication while together in the nest box for five weeks resulting in these tender scenes right before they leave the nest box for the last time.

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Baby Owl Adores Mothers -  Happy Mothers Day!
Baby Owl Adores Mothers -  Happy Mothers Day!

Baby Screech Owlet Leaves the Nest Box - Mini Documentary


The only Screech Owlet has fledged from the nest box! She was overdue, but I think that was because she was the only baby and there was not the usual urgency when there is 3 or 4. The parents decided this was the night and they simply don't bring any food and called from the trees and the owlet made the big jump!


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Baby Screech Owlet Leaves the Nest Box - Mini Documentary

Friday, May 11, 2018

Baby Screech Owlet Listening to Mockingbird Singing


The only Screech Owlet is totally mesmerized by a Northern Mockingbird singing away on the perch in front of the owl nest box. Owls eyes are a window into their soul and you can feel the sense of wonder that she is experiencing as she watches the big world she is about to join outside the nest box.
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Baby Screech Owlet Listening to Mockingbird Singing
Baby Screech Owlet Listening to Mockingbird Singing


Thursday, May 10, 2018

Mother screech Owl Guards the Nest Box


Mother Screech Owl is pulling her final day shift watching the nest box with the precious only owlet inside. Watch around 11:52 mark for some pretty amazing scratching of some itches - incredible that she can do that to her skin and feathers with those razor sharp talons.


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Mother screech Owl Guards the Nest Box



Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Gray Squirrel Duck "Quack" Alarm Call


This squirrel does a good "duck quack" imitation. I have documented the common squirrel alarm calls on a number of videos - see: https://youtu.be/FVRJsCsqFB0 and the nasal Quaaa call is commonly used along with the Kuk-Kuk bark, but this squirrel has gotten a higher pitch than I've heard before and adds a little individuality to get the "quack" going. Also, It didn't appear to be particularly upset although I missed the beginning. These squirrels are so used to my presence that they include me in their interpersonal issues.


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Gray Squirrel Duck "Quack" Alarm Call


Sunday, May 6, 2018

Baby Screech Owl Has Rat For Breakfast





Father owl brought a big rat and mother owl is feeding the choicest parts to the only owlet for Breakfast. She then eats the remaining carcass whole including large tail with considerable difficulty. Life is good in the nest box - another day or two at the most and their gone!
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Baby Screech Owl Has Rat For Breakfast


Baby Screech Owl Has Rat For Breakfast

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Squirrel Steals Chiquita Organic Bananas



My highly successful bird bananas treats kept on disappearing from the Backyard? Thinking, hopefully, some unusual large bird was absconding with them I put the stakeout cameras back out . Of course it turned out to be one of the Usual Suspects - a squirrel that had developed a taste for them even though all the others preferred peanuts. Got to give him credit - even though there is no deal - he does a perfect product placement pose and has the good taste to go organic.


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Squirrel Steals Chiquita Organic Bananas

Friday, May 4, 2018

Father Screech Owl Guarding The Nest Box


Male Eastern Screech Owl pulls a double shift working gathering food all night and guarding the nest box all day. They are surprisingly tolerant of annoying humans pointing cameras at them as they focus on more important things. Think of this as an owl meditation. The male is a bit smaller and has more dark feather highlights than the female. Very soon they will draw the only owlet out of the nest box and take cover in the dense woods then they can all relax!


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Father Screech Owl Guarding The Nest Box

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Large Black Racer Snake and Father Screech Owl




A large Black Racer Snake passes through the Backyard - it may live under the outbuilding/studio/office where the nest box is. It passes right by Mr Screech Owl who is taking turns guarding the nest box. Snakes occasionally will raid a nest eating eggs or baby birds. If you look closely you'll notice father owl has more black mixed in with his feather compared to mother owl - seen here: https://youtu.be/5cIbWzAkD60


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Large Black Racer Snake