Those "DEER" juvenile delinquents . . . 2014

[elagache]

Dear WeatherCat fans of cute fluffy critters . . . . .

I'm not sure why, but this year's crop of fawns have been . . . well . . . . especially squirrelly!!

However, this morning they were on the lawn long enough that I could get a few photos:



Here are the spots in their full glory:



Finally the family portrait:




So for those of us who live in deer country.  The next time you see a plant that was completely munched, try to console yourself with the idea that what munched it is - soooooo cute!!!

Cheers, Edouard 

[Blicj11]

Nice pics.

[iccb]

Nice little deer family!

[elagache]

Dear Blick, iccb, and WeatherCat furry critter lovers,

I didn't expect this, but I have two more deer pictures with a link to the ongoing drought in California.  Yesterday morning I spotted a doe resting serenely within full view of the house - very unusual:



I didn't realize why she was there until I went later to check the back yard.  We have 3 bird baths in the area.  All three are low enough that an adult deer can drink from them.  I refill the bird baths every morning.  After the deer had passed they were completely empty!!  I think it is likely that this doe was extremely desperate for water.  Once she got her drink, her digest processes kicked in and just had to stop and chew on some cuds.

This morning I was greeted by another sight:



Normally we don't see large bucks around the house until the autumn rut.  So I suspect this is another animal hanging around here - for water.  Considering it isn't even officially summer yet - it is going to be a tough year for the wildlife around here.

Cheers, Edouard

[Blicj11]

Normally we don't see large bucks around the house until the autumn rut.

Wow. Nice rack. Our bucks here are just barely starting to regrow their antlers for the season.

[elagache]

Dear WeatherCat fans of cute, furry critters,

As already noted, the deer are definitely more cautious this year.  However, this morning, they lazily walked across our lawn in search of more appealing tidbits:



There are three more pictures of the little rascals:







So there you have it, your dose of "awe ain't they cute!" for the day!! 

Cheers, Edouard 

[Bull Winkus]

Nice Edouard!

You might want to put a hose on a timer to augment serving the extra load on the bird bath. I did that last Summer. Worked like a champ. I was getting deer families taking advantage of the small watering hole, too. It also seemed like the birds figured out the timing of it, because every day about 30 minutes before it would start the birds would get real busy in the bath. Then 15 minutes later they would scatter leaving it empty of birds when the water came on.

[elagache]

Howdy Herb and WeatherCat animal lovers,

You might want to put a hose on a timer to augment serving the extra load on the bird bath.

Well, it is an interesting idea, but I don't have a faucet that's particular close to any of these bird baths and I prefer to keep the baths were I easily keep an eye on them.  Also, I'm a bit leery of providing too much water.  Deer are okay.  Racoons are so-so.  Alas, we do have skunks around here!

So far the skunks haven't been coming around here, but they have been a problem in past years.  I hate to do it, but if I have a lot of trouble with nocturnal visitors, I may have to empty the baths at dusk.  It is only July and the drought is just as hard on the wild critters as the cultivated plants.

Cheers, Edouard 

[elagache]

Dear WeatherCat fans of cute and furry,

As happens every summer, those darn four-legged juvenile delinquents always turn to drinking:



It turns out they were very thirsty:



So much so that when I finally got to the dish, this is all that was left!!



But wait there is more to this story.  I filled the dish back up and within 1/2 an hour they were back and emptied it completely a second time!  Two hours later one had come back and once more had a long drink!  These poor creatures clearly aren't getting enough water with the drought.  They don't seem to be getting enough food either.  Their fury coat is hardly luxurious.

Such is life for California deer this drought summer . . . . .

Cheers, Edouard 

[Bull Winkus]

Gee Edouard, mosquito larve don't stand a chance around there, do they?

[elagache]

Dear Herb and WeatherCat mosquito borne disease eradicators . . . . .

Gee Edouard, mosquito larve don't stand a chance around there, do they?

Yes indeed and that's the least of the traps in store for them micro-rats.  California isn't mosquito central, but we have been worried about diseases like West Nile virus and other mosquito-propagated diseases.  This year I'm giving Dynatrap a try:

http://www.dynatrap.com/


Reviewers either loved or hated this device.  However, We've had it running since June and does seem to reduce the number of mosquitoes.  I had always thought that if you live in a place that is more humid, you really had to go with the heavy artillery and use one of those propane powered killers.  My cousin in Boston doesn't though.  I suspect that's because he is . . . . . cheap!!

Wishing everyone a mosquito-free rest of summer! (at least as much as circumstances permit!!)

Cheers, Edouard   

P.S. I went outside after lunch today and - you guessed it - the bird bath was completely empty again!

[LesCimes]

Hmm, pretty neat. Closest I have to that are the hummingbirds that empty the feeders in an amazingly short period of time - hyper little birds - must be all that sugar they are drinking.