The Wild Side

I don't get it.  We live on a decent sized property, half of which is wooded and situated against township property which is also wooded and completely overgrown.  So, that means that my yard is nearly overrun with whatever vermin lives on the township property, including, but not limited to:  groundhogs, rabbits, squirrels, moles and chipmunks.  There was a skunk once, but our dogs (when we had dogs) took care of that (after it took care of them the time before--PHEWY!). 

Recently, a family of stray black cats has taken up residence in the wooded areas (and maybe under our deck) and for a few days at least, we even had a black squirrel (which is extremely rare in our area) that had been running around, but then disappeared after a bad storm.  But for the black cats, however, it has been nearly impossible for me to capture the wildlife on film, although I did get lucky one day to get the black squirrel before he moved on.

  

We've been doing quite a few walks ("hikes") over the past year and a half in New Jersey and upstate New York, but we haven't seen as much wildlife as we feel we should have seen, but for squirrels and bugs, a turtle and a turkey falcon.  Oh, we've seen our share of ducks, swans and geese though. 

Funny thing, but having grown up in New Jersey, my entire life I've never seen the State bird, the American Goldfinch.  However, I did see one outside our Bed & Breakfast in Plattsburgh, NY, about an hour South of Montreal, Canada.  Adorable little yellow thing.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the camera ready.  Nevertheless, the lack of wildlife that the hiking trails we visit seem to be lacking is alarming, to say the least.  We're not that noisy.  We sit patiently and wait.  We look.  We listen.  But all too often, we've scratched our heads wondering, "Where's the wildlife?"

Today, I visited a State Park in the countryside, which shares real estate with a historical farm.  So, of course, there were horses, sheep, pigs, cows and chickens on the farm and that was a pleasure to see, especially since they seemed very well cared for and content.  But, seriously, can I really claim seeing wildlife at a farm?  Not really. 

So, you can imagine my surprise as I walked through the park and found a blue heron by the pond's edge which didn't fly off the moment it heard people nearby.  I'd never seen one before and never one up so close.  They really are blue!  It was spectacular and made my day.

That is, until I came across the groundhogs.  First, I saw one and then came the other and I suddenly had two of them!  Together!  And they, too, didn't scamper off immediately upon being discovered.  I was ecstatic.  I have at least one in my backyard digging holes to China and I can't get anywhere near him without him running off and here, at a public park, I saw two of them within 12 feet of where I stood if not less.  It was a great day!