The Yard Showdown

Name: Baba Ghanoush

Alias: Noushy, Nukey, Baba

Age: 1 year old

Interests: Yard sprinting, Daisy, playing, snow, leaf jumping, snuggling, the outdoors

Hates: Fireworks, gunshots

Name: Daisy

Alias: Douzel, Daisy-mae, Daze

Age: 8 years old

Interests: Eating, chasing squirrels, eating, napping, eating, going to the office, eating, travel

Hates: Squirrels

Name: Yard Squirrel

Alias: Evil thing, Squirrel!, Devil

Age: Unknown

Interests: Bird feeders, tail-flicking, berries & seeds, taunting dogs

Hates: Dogs (or is it love?)

Date: Almost Everyday

Show: Dogs versus Squirrel(s)

Winner: Squirrel - Every.Single.Time.

Wordless Wednesday: Backyard Snowfort

First Snow Fort: Wordless Wednesday

Baba Ghanoush: Wild Dog

Baba Ghanoush is turning into the sweetest  pup when playing with her sister Daisy, let's just say Noushy runs the roost.  They play and romp in the backyard but it's always the smallest dog that comes up the victor.

Baba Ghanoush bites Daisy on the ears, lips, tail, legs, and more importantly, those teeth are razor sharp.  Look at Daisy's face, it's one pleading for help.

I guess it's the maternal instincts of our sweet bulldog that prevents her from biting back or even giving a growl.  Instead she stands and endures the bites or more often, she runs to us with those pleading eyes and hopes we will notice and tell Noushy to lay off.

Needless to say, adding a new puppy to the home has certainly mixed things up and provided new entertainment.  And when Daisy isn't being harassed by the new pup, they are curled up like two bugs in a rug on the couch or providing each other company during the day while we're away.

Yard Bird Action

Woodpeckers, sparrows, and finches galore.  I love when the yard feeder is hopping and it's even better when I can snap a few photos.  Recently we've had a pair of Downy Woodpeckers, a Northern Flicker, a flock of House Finches, and even a few rare visitors: House Sparrows.  I am not a big fan of having House Sparrows at the feeders but as long as they play nicely, it adds to the variety. I suppose there could be worse things.

The Great Backyard Bird Count is coming up February 14-17th, I hope you take a few minutes to watch your feeders.  For those that don't have a feeder, then just slow down and enjoy your backyard, you never know what you may see.  

Yard Bunny

The occupant of the snowy tracks from a few weeks ago finally had a break in the weather and was seen from the driveway.  Our very own yard rabbit was steadily feeding and though it was a little skittish, it wasn't too wary for a few photos ops.

Little rabbit, I hope you live a long and peaceful life in the safety of our large front yard tree.  It's nice having a yard bunny to watch from time to time.

Yard Juncos

Colorado is a great place to really study Dark-eyed Juncos.  At the yard feeders you can see many of the sub-species.  Lately, I have seen mostly Slate-colored but there's always an interesting one or two, like the Pink-sided seen on the feeder above.

When's the last time you really looked at a Junco and gave it a second glance?  I suggest you spend a little time on our common yard feeder bird and really admire the differences you can see in careful observation.

The New Pup

Baba Ghanoush is getting into the rhythms of the Lark House.  She's on the train to being potty-trained and she is definitely proving to be a very sweet, lovable pup.  Her older sister Daisy is her favorite companion and often her shadow, following her wherever she goes.

Baba Ghanoush, thanks for being a great puppy and a wonderful new addition to the family.  Even if you are sometimes a little rascal and bully your favorite Daisy dog or you weasel out of our arms when we are trying to scoop you up.

Snowy tracks

In the front yard we have a large Evergreen tree that takes of half the yard.  It's big and dense and it's always dry underneath, even after heavy snow.  I have seen a rabbit in the driveway twice since we moved here and always wondered if the tree was it's home. 

After the recent snowfall I was given definite proof of our very own snow bunny living in the front yard.  No wonder the dogs spend a few extra seconds sniffing the corner of the driveway, I'm sure they knew about the rabbit way before I did.

I would love a better look at our little yard rabbit but the dogs probably keep it pretty skittish.  If I was a rabbit, the yard of two dogs may not be my first choice but that big tree is delightful.  When I was looking at houses to rent, that tree grabbed my attention as soon as I drove up to the house.  I thought it was beautiful.  I'm glad to know it gives protection to our yard life.

Goldfinches at the Feeder

The backyard bird feeder is still up and running.  We have had a few new visitors such as Juncos and Goldfinch.  I love to hear the sound of Chickadees in the morning but the flocks of Goldfinches are even more impressive.  Unfortunately, they don't visit every day so I am always stoked when I come home at lunch to find them eagerly eating away.  I can't wait until our next new yardbird.  Until then, I will be content with the Goldfinches.

Snow Flyer

Daisy, our little French Bulldog/Boxer doesn't have much fur.  Her belly and chest is fairly bare so it's understandable that she hates the snow.  She hates the cold and never has more than three paws on the ground when outside.  She doesn't even want to go potty but there's one thing that can overcome all those feelings, a squirrel in the yard.

That's when the wimpy little bulldog becomes a snow flyer.  She leaps and bounds and soars around the yard.  She ignores the snow and the cold.  She only has eyes for the squirrel.

So our dog becomes a new beast, a snow flyer.  In the photo below you can see her bare little tummy turn pink and despite the cold she flies.  Reluctantly, I call her in, I can't have my snow flyer turning to snow.

Leaf Dog

Our little Bulldog loves her backyard and now that we have leaves, she is quite content.  On a sunny afternoon she can be found lazily loafing about in the leaf piles.  She's a sweet little rescue pup and I am so glad she came into our lives.

Backyard Feeder Birds

In the backyard we have frequent visits from Northern Flickers and doves but now that we are coming into the winter months I decided we must get a feeder for the backyard.  You can imagine our delight when within a day of hanging our new feeder we were graced with some noisy Chickadees.  Our second feeder birds were seen a couple of days later, two House Finches but they flew away before I could snap a photo.  I look forward to a winter full of chickadees and finches.  I'll keep you posted on what new birds may arrive.

Happy Thoughts

Some bird relieved itself on this Gulf Fritillary. I want to believe that it survived but I fear that when I left it in my yard that it was probably someone's prey. I wasn't really sure how to wash a butterfly or I would have considered helping. Then again, I am one of those "let nature take its course" kind of girls. Due to the bird droppings it couldn't fly and was having quite a time trying to manuever around. But today is all about the happy thoughts. So I'll leave you with the treat I was awarded for being nominated at this year's County award ceremony.

Backyard Adventures Take Two

After an exhausting weekend of camping in the Florida Keys I came home to this guy trapped in our back screened in porch. I guess this 1st year Northern Parula doesn't know that we have two crazy cats that like the back porch. I quickly herded the cats inside, closed both back doors, snapped these three pictures and cautiously helped it escape. I hate that my roommates cats are inside/outside and the fact that this bird was caught but it was quite the sight up close and personal. AND it was a new yard bird for me, now I'm up to eleven here at the new place! My next home won't have cats and will have a bird friendly yard.

Backyard Adventures

My backyard is overrun with Starlings, Eurasian Collared-doves, and Common Grackles so when something new pops on the scene I get really excited. The newest bird to my backyard list this week was the Chimney Swift. There were three of these bad boys flying over my backyard, swooping behind the tall Mango trees and then coming back into view for a few precious moments. They were pretty high up but one came in and gave me a great view.

While engrossed in birding I thought I heard an unusual chip note from the shrubs over the fence. I was straining to see in the bushes and when I kept hearing this hissing sound. The little grey kitten we have was beside me so I thought he was being weird but when I turned my head there was this young raccoon right at eye level and only two feet away. I jumped, it jumped and then of course, I ran to get the camera. On my approach back he scrambled up high into the branches but I did get this one crummy shot. I like raccoons on the whole but I'm not sure about this neighborhood dude. Since this encounter it makes me wonder if he would be brave enough to just walk in my back door (I have a bad habit of forgetting to close the door at night). You better believe that I won't be taking any chances with this young raccoon.