As stated, I took the rat cave down today. Tentatively and trepidatiously I removed brick by brick until finally there was nothing left but the perimeter walls: With the able assistance of Susan shiningĂ‚Â a flashlight onto the spot where I had deposited them last Friday I’m happy to report that it appears the mother …
After attentive review of last night’s archived video it has been determined to the best of my ability and based on the evidence accumulated over the past week that there ain’t nothing going on in there. Thus I am declaring the property condemned and am preparing for demolition. I’ll report back whatever I find inside.
If you saw last Friday’s post regarding the backyard discovery of the six baby rats, I’m figuring it’s high time four days later to follow up with a status report. Did my efforts to rebuild their home and return the infant rodents to it hopefully entice momma rat to come back and continue raising them? …
Had I my choice of what species of baby backyard wildlife I’d encounter to follow my adventure with the hummingbird chicks, it’s a pretty good bet a nest of baby rodents wouldn’t be at the top of my list, but that’s the way the ball bounces. And the fact is if I hadn’t gone digging …
And just like that, at 1:55 p.m., the nest is empty, or not quite. I went outside to look in hopes the younger of the two chicks had done what it’s older sibling had MOnday in venturing to a nearby branch for some pre-flight stuff. I gave the nest’s immediate vicinity a good look-around and …
Yesterday while out back longing for one last look at the first hummingbird chick that flew the coop late in the afternoon, a tiny flurry of activity near the back of the yard got my attention and sure enough there’s a near foot-long bushtit nest veritably buried and well camoflagued in the boughs of the …
The larger of the two Anna’s hummingbird chicks has taken the big step of leaving its cramped nest to a nearby branch where it’s waiting for the right time to take wing (click to enlarge): And sticking its tongue out a lot. It’s not every day we humans have the privilege of seeing a hummingbird’s …