# What critters did you see this year?



## Ed Mashburn (Sep 8, 2016)

Good evening to all- Just sitting here thinking about interesting animals I've seen this past year.  My list: some up close and personal bears in our yards, some very big alligators, manatees- several of them,some pronghorn antelope in Arizona, and some really nice birds- roseate spoonbills and black bellied whistling ducks over in Texas.
I enjoy seeing just what's out there in the wilds.
What about you all?
good evening to all- Ed


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## Carla (Sep 8, 2016)

Haven't seen it, but there's an old skunk that's been hanging around near my living room window at night, e-gads!


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## Shalimar (Sep 8, 2016)

Saw orca when I was out sailing up island. They like to tease you. Deer, raccoons, bluebirds among the Gary Oaks, woodpeckers, hummingbirds galore, two tiny little moles, four seals, and three otters. Squirrels, both black and grey. Two bald eagles fishing. A wild mink. Some wild rabbits.


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## Falcon (Sep 8, 2016)

Lizards on my backyard brick wall and an occasional possum.......Oh,  and lots of birds.


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## Bobw235 (Sep 8, 2016)

Tons of birds, including hawks, hummingbirds, finches, cardinals, bluejays, nuthatches, chickadees, robins, titmice, morning doves, Carolina wrens, downy woodpeckers, northern flickers, Baltimore orioles, wild turkeys and a rose breasted grosbeak. Then there are the four legged creatures: chipmunks, grey squirrels, skunks, possums, raccoons, red foxes, ground hogs.


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## Gemma (Sep 8, 2016)

Just on my property alone:  Deer, elk, black bears, red and grey foxes, coyotes, least weasel, mink, skunks, raccoons, opossums, bobcat, red and grey squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks, rabbits, red tail hawk, cooper hawk, saw whet owl, flying squirrels, wild turkeys, turkey vultures, ravens, ruffed grouse, hummingbirds, cardinals, downy and pileated woodpeckers, flickers, doves, finches, bats, canadian geese, loons, merganser ducks, herons, kingfishers, and numerous other birds.  Also salamanders, newts, different species of snakes and cool looking spiders, crayfish and trout too.


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## IKE (Sep 8, 2016)

Holy cow Gemma.........sounds like Natl. Geographic needs to come to your place and film a few critter shows.


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## jujube (Sep 8, 2016)

One bear (in a parking lot), too many alligators to mention and one heck of a lot of groundhogs.....really fat groundhogs at that.    Oh, and I have a lot of birds at the feeder and some beautiful little hummingbirds at their feeder.   And I almost stepped on a snake.


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## fureverywhere (Sep 8, 2016)

If I saw a bear I would need medication. Only critter recently is a raccoon living in our garage.


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## Ameriscot (Sep 9, 2016)

Not a lot this year.  Lots of different various birds, squirrels, porpoises, lots of colourful fish when snorkeling, the results of swimming into a sea urchin on my husband's bloody foot. 

Bigger variety next year when we go to a wedding in Uganda.

As for bear, saw two when hiking in the Smokies in the 90's.  They were crossing the trail to get to the water.  I freaked out.  My hiking partner waved his arms and said 'hi there'.  The bears got scared and ran to the water.


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## Ken N Tx (Sep 9, 2016)

2 Roadrunners (still here)..Skunks..Snakes..Armadillos..Jack rabbits (3)..


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## tortiecat (Sep 9, 2016)

I live in a large retirement complex on a busy street that is mostly commercial.
Behind the buildings across the street are some woods.  Recently while my
sister and I were waiting  for my daughter to bring the car up to the front door
we saw two red fox playing on the lawn across the street disregarding the
busy traffic passing by.


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## Goldfynche (Sep 9, 2016)

The highlight of my year has got to be my Golden Eagle. Seen from my back garden.


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## RadishRose (Sep 9, 2016)

My grandson just came in from walking doggie back to the house saying a bob-cat as standing on the trail we have in our small, wooded area. Dog tried to get at it and gs had to almost drag her away. The cat did nothing, thank goodness. 

They do show up here once in a great while.


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## chic (Sep 12, 2016)

Canadian Geese, Mallards and wood ducks too. Mostly waterfowl for me and the occasional various bird of prey.


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## SeaBreeze (Sep 20, 2016)

Deer, moose, bear, elk, antelope, raccoons, martins, marmots, coyotes, foxes, chipmunks, squirrels, owls....lots of birds.


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## RadishRose (Sep 20, 2016)

We are over run with squirrels! Is this the mating season? They're all over the place.


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## SeaBreeze (Sep 20, 2016)

We always have a lot of squirrels by me, they love our pine and spruce trees and unfortunately some of the neighbors feed them and encourage them to hang out.  I do like to watch them, but hearing them scampering over the roof and fussing with the birds during nesting time is not great.  I really like the mountain squirrels, much darker and wilder looking.


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## Goldfynche (Sep 20, 2016)

We have a group of trees in the centre of our neighbourhood, which after dusk has become the favoured roosting spot for hoards of jackdaws, crows and rooks. It's amazing how the three different species appear to get along together with only minimal squabbling. There do appear to be a couple of light sleepers though, as the slightest noise or disturbance will send a ripple of complaint through the entire colony.


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## tnthomas (Sep 20, 2016)

Well, ground squirrels...which I consider vermin.      The critters that I enjoy seeing around are the coyotes, ravens, the quail, alligator lizards, the racoons(at work).    Oh, I almost forgot- the red tailed hawks, the assortment of owls that we only get fleeting glimpses of; the morning dove.

Every so often, a troupe of pidgeons show up en masse(50+) and sit quietly on the phone pole lines.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Sep 20, 2016)

I saw the bear for the first time in about 3 years I though maybe a hunter had got him. A turkey, the usual rabbits, ground hogs, hawks,geese and fox. Many birds at the feeder and birdbath. Just recently so many Monarch butterflies. I haven't seen that many in quite a few years.  For the last few weeks a lot of deer. This photo is from my front window yesterday. The acorns are dropping now and they love them.


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## Bonzo (Sep 23, 2016)

Foxes loads of them in old London Town


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## Butterfly (Sep 24, 2016)

Roadrunners -- fun to watch.


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## Goldfynche (Sep 24, 2016)

Bonzo said:


> Foxes loads of them in old London Town




We used to get dozens of them in Ilford, when I lived there. I've only seen three up here in Scotland, in the last nine years!


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## Ruthanne (Sep 26, 2016)

We have seagulls, crows, sparrows, wrens, pigeons, bats, mourning doves, starlings, hummingbirds, possums, rats, cats, skunks, chipmunks, squirrels, gophers, groundhogs, mice, snakes, bees, flies, hornets, wasps, ants, worms


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## Ed Mashburn (Sep 26, 2016)

Good evening to all- Since it's getting to be fall, down here on the Gulf Coast this time of year we get lots of migrating birds that come and stay for a while before they cross the Gulf to warmer climes.
right now, we are covered with hummingbirds.  We put out extra feeders, and the little buzzbirds just fog in, and they challenge anyone and anything that comes close to their feeders.
It's interesting to have a tiny little bird get right in one's face and hover there until we back down and go away.
Hummingbirds are violent, vicious little creatures, but lots of fun to watch.
good day to all- Ed


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## Capt Lightning (Sep 26, 2016)

Went to the Scottish Dolphin centre today and surprizingly, we did see some dolphins.  They weren't putting on a great display, but it's great to see them in their natural environment.  Also saw a large number of seals.


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## BlunderWoman (Sep 26, 2016)

Armadillos, squirrels, possums, raccoons, coyotes, bob cats, snakes, toads, turtles, field rats, there are always hawks flying over my back field during the day. There are lots of birds out here. Lately I've seen many large flocks flying over my land , flying south. Soon there will be the skunk fest. The skunks usually are out and about heavy around February to mate. I had one dig under my house during the winter one year. UH NO.. had to put a stop to that.


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## debbie in seattle (Sep 28, 2016)

Spiders!!!!


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