TAIL END

One squirrel less.
 It was nabbed off a beam seven feet above the ground.
The Lynx waited an hour for the next squirrel to show up.
I'm not too sure about squirrel mentality
 as it kept creeping down the post and scampering back up.
Sometimes as close as three feet from the Lynx's nose.
When the Lynx did jump, it missed
and the squirrel got away along the house wall.
The Lynx was left hanging off the post
and I didn't have my camera ready!

Trivia: Lynx don't eat squirrel tails.

SHRIKE!

Northern Shrike
Lanius excubitor

December 23, 2012

Another morning predator.

Perches on exposed branch and watches for prey. Prey today being:
Blackcapped chickadees, Pine Grosbeaks or Red Polls.

A very white breast.

Tail held almost horizontal.

This photo shows the white feathers over the bill
 that tells this Shrike apart from the Loggerhead Shrike.

Quote: " Bird watchers while driving automatically scan all overhead wires. The cry, "Shrike on the Wire," means a quick swerve and stop on the shoulder of the road, and varied reactions from the car behind." end Quote. Henry Hill Collins, Jr. page 190, Complete Field Guide to American Wildlife, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, Outdoor Life Edition 1959

AVOIDING THE MORNING PREDATOR

There is a Lynx behind the tire.

Just see the back end of the Lynx, Dec. 23, 2012

The squirrel on the tire,
the Lynx, under the truck,
 waiting for the squirrel in the shed to come out.
I really must wash my window!
However, I could say it is snowflakes.

This squirrel considered himself safe enough to talk about the situation.
And then the neighbour's dog came along and everyone was saved
 as the Lynx ran away.

I must say that Lynx had patience, it sat under the truck from 9:50 a.m. to 10:38 a.m. It was a good 20 minuters before the squirrels showed themselves. We were not too surprised at the Lynx appeaarance as the neighbour had reported tracks a mile up the road at seven this morning.

LYNX

Lynx photos on previous post "seeing double"

My titles tend to be not so good for googling subjects so I thought I better cross reference this one for people looking for Lynx photos. These two were in my yard on December 6.

Once my Christmas cards are sent I think I shall work on an index for my posts.

SEEING DOUBLE

LYNX canadensis

First there was one.

Called "A glorious predator of the Great  North Woods"
December 6, 2012

Then came another.

This shows the black tip of the tail.

The reception was a little chilly.
 I tried to get a photo of its open mouth.

They came to an agreement.

As soon as he turned his head the other one looked at him/her.

Nice view of ears and chin whiskers.

Got a mouth there.

Then it settled down.

Really beautiful eyes!

Leaving home.

With a 40 inch body it can really "step out".
No snow Dec. 6, 2012
end of day's photos
from my kitchen window.

ARCTIC HUMMING BIRDS

My hummingbird feeder

When I put this photo up on my Facebook page last week, someone commented "what would use it in the Winter?

Aside from a curious Hairy Woodpecker nothing has.

However, Bearwise, when they first came on the scene some years ago urged everyone to take down all their bird feeders during the summer months and only put them and suet and nectar feeders up once the bears have denned for the winter. Now, as soon as I read that I knew no "science" was behind their "Bear Policy".

Unless -

Maybe they grew up with Buzz Lien's tall tale of Arctic Humming birds?

Buzz wrote in 1974 -

"Not too long ago, the presence of Arctic Humming birds was reported from White River. I didn't think much of it at the time because what is so unusual about an Arctic humming bird in this country. In the latte part of December through the third week of February they simply swarm in this area. What is unusual though, is to have them reported as far south as White River."

"These tiny fragile birds originally got their name in Beardmore, Ontario. Some twenty years ago (1954) they were first observed one night when it was 74 degrees below zero. They were flying up to an overly large outdoor thermometer, clinging briefly to it while they checked the temperature. When it was down in the 70 degree bracket they could be heard giving their slow contented "Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm!" But, when the mercury would zoom up to 30 below, the little things would become frantic and the "Hmmm-hmmm-hmmm" would pour forth in a rising crescendo."

"These fragile birds with their tiny bulk, great speed and poor wing control are particularly noticeable in Bearmore- Jellicoe-Geraldton when the ice fog rolls in, heavy and opaque from Lake Nipigon. Then if you are abroad  in the land and feel tiny flicks of cold on your face you have blundered into a flock of humming birds. Since they are so small they are no threat to your health or well being."

"This has been a good winter for them as the ice worms and snow bugs have been particularly abundant."

Now Buzz didn't just leave the story there. As Chairman of the Museum Board in 1974 he baited his hook -

"We had a pair in the Nipigon Museum for display in our glass fronted deep freeze but the Yo-yo who was looking after them forgot to cover them one night. The temperature hotted up to 40 below and the poor things died of heat exhaustion."

"Visit the Nipigon Museum this summer and we'll show you the place we kept them, but we won't tell the Yo-yo's name."

Alas the fire that destroyed the Nipigon Museum in 1990 also destroyed all evidence of this being in any way verified.

However, I'll keep my humming bird feeder out - just in case those little tykes need a slurp of frozen nectar...not because "Bearwise" tells me to.

WHITE-TAILS FROM MY WINDOW

I call this series "Peek-A-Boo".

White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus

Length to six feet (180 cm)

Not quite four feet at the shoulder. (120 cm)
That would be adult - this looks like a second winter horn.

Antlers have erect, unbranched tines.

The hair is tawny in summer changing to a blue-gray for a winter coat.

The decision is made.

December 1, 2012