Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet away.

))

Andy

Andy wrote:
> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet away.
>
> ))


That's great Andy. Isn't it so kewl living in the "country"?
Saw a sparrow feeding a cuckoo chick this morning - the cuckoos lay
their eggs in other birds' nests and the other birds bring them up as
their own.... the chick was bigger than the adopted "Momma"

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Chatty Cathy > wrote in
:

> Andy wrote:
>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
>> away.
>>
>> ))
>
>
> That's great Andy. Isn't it so kewl living in the "country"?
> Saw a sparrow feeding a cuckoo chick this morning - the cuckoos lay
> their eggs in other birds' nests and the other birds bring them up as
> their own.... the chick was bigger than the adopted "Momma"


Chatty Cathy,

Country living is wonderful. No gun-fire, sirens, helicopters with search
lights, gangs, kids drag racing, etc.

I have a 3rd generation night vision monocular with infrared flashlight
accessory and can walk through my woods in the dark of night with 1000
yard visibility. I'm very familiar with what goes "bump" in the night! OR
I can look up and the universe lights up!

The cuckoo sounds like our cowbird who eat other bird eggs from nests and
leave theirs in their place. A most intrusive way to proliferate their
species at the demise of the others. That's NOT a good thing, imho.

Andy

Chatty Cathy wrote:

> Andy wrote:
> > Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet away.
> >
> > ))
>
> That's great Andy. Isn't it so kewl living in the "country"?
> Saw a sparrow feeding a cuckoo chick this morning - the cuckoos lay
> their eggs in other birds' nests and the other birds bring them up as
> their own.... the chick was bigger than the adopted "Momma"

I guess Andy doesn't have any free range poultry. Around here foxes are usually
shot on sight., though even the murderous adults are cute as a button.

This is prime time for bird watchers. Most of the birds that will be coming back
are back and those going further north are passing through. The leaves are just
starting to come out so they more easily seen. In a pond down the road from our
house there are are side by side nests, one for a pair of geese and one for a
pair of ducks and when I walk by there is a goose on one and two feet away there
is a duck on the other. There seem to be more and more Canada geese every year
and pretty soon we will be seeing the goslings following their parents around.
Last year we had a Cardinal nest in the privacy fence beside our patio. On Easter
morning I found a Robin's egg sitting beside our sidewalk. Something must have
stolen it from the nest and dropped it.

"Andy" <q> wrote in message ...

> Country living is wonderful. No gun-fire, sirens, helicopters with search
> lights, gangs, kids drag racing, etc.


Damn! Where did you live before your current place? Bogotá?

Andy wrote:

>
> Country living is wonderful. No gun-fire, sirens, helicopters with search
> lights, gangs, kids drag racing, etc.

I hear ya...
>
> I have a 3rd generation night vision monocular with infrared flashlight
> accessory and can walk through my woods in the dark of night with 1000
> yard visibility. I'm very familiar with what goes "bump" in the night! OR
> I can look up and the universe lights up!
>
> The cuckoo sounds like our cowbird who eat other bird eggs from nests and
> leave theirs in their place. A most intrusive way to proliferate their
> species at the demise of the others. That's NOT a good thing, imho.

Yep.. I think the cuckoos throw the other eggs out of the nest or
something. But it nature and that's how they survive - sad, but true. We
have a lot of bird life around here, of course different ones in summer
and winter... but the cheekiest ones are the crowned plovers - there is
a "group" that seems to live here all year round. They are very
protective of their young - as our two cats have found out! Heard some
real squawking going on one evening - rushed outside to see what the
rumpus was about - and there were my two big, brave cats running
hell-for-leather away from a very angry plover... the cats bolted up the
nearest tree and sat there looking rather pathetic. The plover was
squawking and "dive bombing" the cats - and it wasn't giving up! I had
to chase the plover away before they would come down. I laughed till I
cried. Justice was done IMO... and the plover chicks grew up just fine.
The cats don't go near them any more

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Doug Kanter wrote:
> "Andy" <q> wrote in message ...
>
>> Country living is wonderful. No gun-fire, sirens, helicopters with search
>> lights, gangs, kids drag racing, etc.
>
>
> Damn! Where did you live before your current place? Bogotá?
>
>
Nah. Probably Jo'burg on a Saturday night

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

"Doug Kanter" > wrote in
:

> "Andy" <q> wrote in message
> ...
>
>> Country living is wonderful. No gun-fire, sirens, helicopters with
>> search lights, gangs, kids drag racing, etc.
>
>
> Damn! Where did you live before your current place? Bogotá?


Not quite. Just Los Angeles, Kalifornia.

Andy

Dave Smith wrote:

>
> I guess Andy doesn't have any free range poultry. Around here foxes are usually
> shot on sight., though even the murderous adults are cute as a button.

Haven't seen any foxes around here, but we do have a free range
"chicken" (singular) - wondered in here a few weeks ago after a storm
and seems to have moved in... probably came from one of the other
"plots" around here - there are some real farms in our vicinity.
>
> This is prime time for bird watchers. Most of the birds that will be coming back
> are back and those going further north are passing through. The leaves are just
> starting to come out so they more easily seen. In a pond down the road from our
> house there are are side by side nests, one for a pair of geese and one for a
> pair of ducks and when I walk by there is a goose on one and two feet away there
> is a duck on the other. There seem to be more and more Canada geese every year
> and pretty soon we will be seeing the goslings following their parents around.
> Last year we had a Cardinal nest in the privacy fence beside our patio. On Easter
> morning I found a Robin's egg sitting beside our sidewalk. Something must have
> stolen it from the nest and dropped it.
>
>
We love the bird life here. We get (in summer) Red Bishops, lesser
masked weavers, hoepoes, guinea fowl aplenty, crowned plovers, seen a
few blacksmith plovers and all sorts of sparrows. Mouse birds sometimes,
red headed finches, doves, pigeons. And swallows too. We feed them - we
buy 25kg bags of wild bird seed about once a month and the seed-eaters
love it! Our "orchard" doesn't stand much of a chance either - the fruit
eaters get most of it before we do. We have closed in our "veggie
garden" to keep the birds out.

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Andy wrote:
> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet away.
>
> ))
>
> Andy

What? No jpeg?????? :-(

Sounds delightful!

Om

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
oups.com:

> Andy wrote:
>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
>> away.
>>
>> ))
>>
>> Andy
>
> What? No jpeg?????? :-(
>
> Sounds delightful!
>
> Om


Actually, yes, I took five pictures, but the autofocus was more
interested in focusing on the window screen. Here's one of Mom and one of
the kits.

http://i2.tinypic.com/x6enoj.jpg

Time for some yardwork! The jockey's name is Scott.

Andy

"Andy" <q> wrote in message ...
> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
> oups.com:
>
>> Andy wrote:
>>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
>>> away.
>>>
>>> ))
>>>
>>> Andy
>>
>> What? No jpeg?????? :-(
>>
>> Sounds delightful!
>>
>> Om
>
>
> Actually, yes, I took five pictures, but the autofocus was more
> interested in focusing on the window screen. Here's one of Mom and one of
> the kits.

Does your camera allow you to prefocus? In other words, you point at where
you want the focus (and exposure) to be measured, hold the button down part
of the way so the camera can set itself up, then, still holding the button
down, move and compose the picture, then shoot.

"Michael "Dog3" Lonergan" > wrote in message
6.121...
> Andy <q> :
>
>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
>> away.
>>
>>))
>>
>> Andy
>
> Ya' wanna come over and take the raccoon baby that has taken residence in
> my garage? It got ahold of Missy last night and scratched her up really
> good.
>
> Michael

Who's Missy?

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
oups.com:

> Andy wrote:
>> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
>> oups.com:
>>
>> > Andy wrote:
>> >> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15
feet
>> >> away.
>> >>
>> >> ))
>> >>
>> >> Andy
>> >
>> > What? No jpeg?????? :-(
>> >
>> > Sounds delightful!
>> >
>> > Om
>>
>>
>> Actually, yes, I took five pictures, but the autofocus was more
>> interested in focusing on the window screen.
>
> That can get tricky, I feel your pain.
> Too bad you could not pop the screen, or carefully sneak outside to get
> a direct shot eh?
>
>> Here's one of Mom and one of
>> the kits.
>>
>> http://i2.tinypic.com/x6enoj.jpg
>
> Worth a shot anyway. <G>
>
>>
>> Time for some yardwork! The jockey's name is Scott.
>>
>> Andy
>
> Pretty yard!
> I've kept up with the weeds somewhat, but have not planted any veggies
> this year.
> My utility bills have been too high and it's cheaper to _buy_ veggies
> anymore than to grow them due to the cost of water. <sigh>
>
> I've landscaped as much as possible with xeriscape and low water
> needing plants such as honeysuckle and canna lilly, Lantana, Agave,
> English Ivy, Wild grapevines etc. My one indulgence is a small bulb
> garden that I hand water, and the greenhouse with my succulents and a
> few house plants but with the higher humidity in there I don't have to
> water often, especially if I crowd it.
>
> Om


I'm afraid of my property. The deer are so plentiful and the yard is full
of ticks. Dammit!

Andy

"Doug Kanter" > wrote in
:

> "Andy" <q> wrote in message
> ...
>> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
>> oups.com:
>>
>>> Andy wrote:
>>>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15
>>>> feet away.
>>>>
>>>> ))
>>>>
>>>> Andy
>>>
>>> What? No jpeg?????? :-(
>>>
>>> Sounds delightful!
>>>
>>> Om
>>
>>
>> Actually, yes, I took five pictures, but the autofocus was more
>> interested in focusing on the window screen. Here's one of Mom and
>> one of the kits.
>
> Does your camera allow you to prefocus? In other words, you point at
> where you want the focus (and exposure) to be measured, hold the
> button down part of the way so the camera can set itself up, then,
> still holding the button down, move and compose the picture, then
> shoot.



Yes it can, but foxes don't like to pose and say "cheese" for the camera.
*sigh*

Andy

"Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" > wrote in
6.121:

> Andy <q> :
>
>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
>> away.
>>
>>))
>>
>> Andy
>
> Ya' wanna come over and take the raccoon baby that has taken residence
> in my garage? It got ahold of Missy last night and scratched her up
> really good.
>
> Michael


Michael,

My only suggestion is to call animal control and have them put a humane
trap down and have it removed that way. But is it defending any young?

A neighbor had an agressive fox near the dog's fenced yard. Animal
control humane trapped it and took it to the park for release but two
days later hungry kits were crying of hunger. Sad situation.

Racoons are one rung down on the intelligence ladder from humans so it's
kinda/sorta hard to outsmart 'em. Good luck!

Andy

"Michael "Dog3" Lonergan" > wrote in message
6.121...
> "Doug Kanter" >
> :
>
>> "Michael "Dog3" Lonergan" > wrote in message
>> 6.121...
>>> Andy <q> :
>>>
>>>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15
>>>> feet away.
>>>>
>>>>))
>>>>
>>>> Andy
>>>
>>> Ya' wanna come over and take the raccoon baby that has taken
>>> residence in my garage? It got ahold of Missy last night and
>>> scratched her up really good.
>>>
>>> Michael
>>
>> Who's Missy?
>
> My dog. Missy chased it up the brick wall and then it got ****ed and
> jumped on her. It was ugly.
>
> Michael

They're tough little *******s, those coons. While fishing in a stream a
couple of years ago, I heard some "yelling" from a nearby tree limb about 75
feet up. It was a raccoon that had lost its grip. It fell to the ground,
shook its head, made some noise that sounding like cussing, got up and
walked away. Amazing.

Andy wrote:
> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet away.
>
> ))
>
> Andy

Wow. I hope some redneck yahoo doesn't shoot them for thier pelts...
-L.

"Chatty Cathy" > wrote in message
...
> Andy wrote:
>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
>> away.
>>
>> ))
>
>
> That's great Andy. Isn't it so kewl living in the "country"?
> Saw a sparrow feeding a cuckoo chick this morning - the cuckoos lay their
> eggs in other birds' nests and the other birds bring them up as their
> own.... the chick was bigger than the adopted "Momma"
>

Aren't sparrows stupid. A touch of evolution required there, methinks.

Andy wrote:
> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
> oups.com:
>
> > Andy wrote:
> >> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
> >> oups.com:
> >>
> >> > Andy wrote:
> >> >> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15
> feet
> >> >> away.
> >> >>
> >> >> ))
> >> >>
> >> >> Andy
> >> >
> >> > What? No jpeg?????? :-(
> >> >
> >> > Sounds delightful!
> >> >
> >> > Om
> >>
> >>
> >> Actually, yes, I took five pictures, but the autofocus was more
> >> interested in focusing on the window screen.
> >
> > That can get tricky, I feel your pain.
> > Too bad you could not pop the screen, or carefully sneak outside to get
> > a direct shot eh?
> >
> >> Here's one of Mom and one of
> >> the kits.
> >>
> >> http://i2.tinypic.com/x6enoj.jpg
> >
> > Worth a shot anyway. <G>
> >
> >>
> >> Time for some yardwork! The jockey's name is Scott.
> >>
> >> Andy
> >
> > Pretty yard!
> > I've kept up with the weeds somewhat, but have not planted any veggies
> > this year.
> > My utility bills have been too high and it's cheaper to _buy_ veggies
> > anymore than to grow them due to the cost of water. <sigh>
> >
> > I've landscaped as much as possible with xeriscape and low water
> > needing plants such as honeysuckle and canna lilly, Lantana, Agave,
> > English Ivy, Wild grapevines etc. My one indulgence is a small bulb
> > garden that I hand water, and the greenhouse with my succulents and a
> > few house plants but with the higher humidity in there I don't have to
> > water often, especially if I crowd it.
> >
> > Om
>
>
> I'm afraid of my property. The deer are so plentiful and the yard is full
> of ticks. Dammit!
>
> Andy

Uh, that's what Sevin dust is for...
I like it because it biodegrades very quickly so does not kill
everything, but it does get the fleas and I have yet to see a tick on
my dogs. I treat the dogs at the same time with Revolution.

I also layed in a couple of pints of benficial nematodes early last
year and that has probably done more good than anything else. It's
helped with fire ants too. A few more years of using those and I might
not need to use Sevin anymore. :-)

Lay them down in the late spring/early summer during the rainy season.

Not sure if they are effective against ticks, I'd have to Google to
see.

Om (who know's she gonna get flamed now for using Sevin...... but is
SICK to death of fighting fleas!)

Jo Ling wrote:
> "Chatty Cathy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Andy wrote:
>>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
>>> away.
>>>
>>> ))
>>
>> That's great Andy. Isn't it so kewl living in the "country"?
>> Saw a sparrow feeding a cuckoo chick this morning - the cuckoos lay their
>> eggs in other birds' nests and the other birds bring them up as their
>> own.... the chick was bigger than the adopted "Momma"
>>
>
> Aren't sparrows stupid. A touch of evolution required there, methinks.
>
>
Well, I suppose it explains the expression "bird-brained"...

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Jo Ling wrote:
>
> "Chatty Cathy" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > Saw a sparrow feeding a cuckoo chick this morning - the cuckoos lay their
> > eggs in other birds' nests and the other birds bring them up as their
> > own.... the chick was bigger than the adopted "Momma"
>
> Aren't sparrows stupid. A touch of evolution required there, methinks.

Sparrows are among the most successful introduced
bird species in North America. If they were more
skeptical about which chicks were really their
own, perhaps they would not be so successful.

Also, it could provoke the cuckoos to become
more deceptive parasites, to the detriment of
both species.

I'm reminded of the time I mentioned over lunch
that squid are a major part of the diet of
squid. My friend asked how could that be possible,
wouldn't that behavior get bred out of the species?
My response was that little squid eat little fish
and shrimp, and big squid eat little squid (in
addition to fish, of course), and this may be
their way of harvesting food protein and passing
it up the food chain.

Just because some behavior seems stupid or
self-destructive doesn't mean that it isn't
adaptive -- there may be some factor in play
which isn't obvious.

In the case of the sparrows, it may be that
the cuckoos are more destructive to bird species
that are competitors of the sparrows, hence
cuckoos benefit the sparrows (even though they
push some sparrow chicks out of their nests).

Chatty Cathy > wrote in news:1misi3-q5j.ln1
@foo.bar:

>> Aren't sparrows stupid. A touch of evolution required there,
methinks.
>>
>>
> Well, I suppose it explains the expression "bird-brained"...


All birds are fairly stupid. Most just need the brainpower to be skilled
at finding food, flying, and having sex.

The malifowl in Australia lay eggs, build a 2-3 foot tall ground mound
over them to hold just the right temperature to inccubate, then leave for
good. The eggs hatch and the newborns burrow out and without parenting,
figure life out. Genetic intelligence! Amazing.

Andy
Birdbrain

Andy wrote:
> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
> away.
>
> ))
>
> Andy

AWWWW! Where I last worked we had a couple of fox kits that would run
around the lawn next to the parking lot. I remember one of them jumping up
on a car (okay, the owner probably wasn't happy about that) and momma fox
yelling at it to get down. It was so fun to watch them frolicking.

Unfortunately, some people were afraid of the foxes (we aren't talking about
pit bulls, folks, just little red foxes) so they insisted building
management call animal control. (sigh) I hope they relocated them rather
than kill them. One day they were there, running around and playing, the
next they weren't. There are a number of protected places in the area
(Shelby Farms, for example) where they could have been released to live in
the wild. Hopefully that was the case.

Jill

Chatty Cathy wrote:
> Andy wrote:
>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15
>> feet away.
>>
>> ))
>
>
> That's great Andy. Isn't it so kewl living in the "country"?
> Saw a sparrow feeding a cuckoo chick this morning - the cuckoos lay
> their eggs in other birds' nests and the other birds bring them up as
> their own.... the chick was bigger than the adopted "Momma"

I heard on the news this morning there are a couple of red hawk chicks
living on a billboard platform. The folks who rented the billboard space
have decided to wait out the big fuzzy chicks, which so far don't do
anything but wander around in the nest. They aren't nearly old enough to
fly yet. At least they aren't trying to eradicate them.

Jill

"jmcquown" > wrote in
:

> Andy wrote:
>> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
>> away.
>>
>> ))
>>
>> Andy
>
> AWWWW! Where I last worked we had a couple of fox kits that would run
> around the lawn next to the parking lot. I remember one of them
> jumping up on a car (okay, the owner probably wasn't happy about that)
> and momma fox yelling at it to get down. It was so fun to watch them
> frolicking.
>
> Unfortunately, some people were afraid of the foxes (we aren't talking
> about pit bulls, folks, just little red foxes) so they insisted
> building management call animal control. (sigh) I hope they relocated
> them rather than kill them. One day they were there, running around
> and playing, the next they weren't. There are a number of protected
> places in the area (Shelby Farms, for example) where they could have
> been released to live in the wild. Hopefully that was the case.
>
> Jill


Jill,

An aside, on day 2 of our moving in, we invited my ex-wife's family to
come and see the place. I remember walking some of them around the back
deck and into the great room a split-level below the main floor. We
closed the door and looked out of the large picture window and all of a
sudden an adult red foxt came trotting down the deck stairs and stood on
the patio and just looked at us, as if to say "Hey where's my treat?
Didn't the original owner mention me?" It looked upset almost and then
just walked into the woods.

The neighbors relayed a story to us that at sunset, they would see a red
fox just sitting at the top of the driveway nearly every night. SO...
apparently the original owner HAD been treating the fox and they had
"become friends". I wish he HAD told me, THE BUM! But I'm still glad
they're here. They live under the cabana by the pool that's built out
over a medium grade hill so they have coverage from the elements.

What's not to love about foxes? Plus they keep the field mice and
chipmunk populations in check. Sadly a lot of them end up with mainge and
thee's nothing I can do to help.

Andy

"jmcquown" > wrote in news:xb57g.36834$Kn4.13941
@bignews2.bellsouth.net:

> I heard on the news this morning there are a couple of red hawk chicks


Jill,

Red "tail" or "shoulder" hawks? The red shoulder being the more good
looking of the two.

I hope an ornithologist can get up there to band them. We can never have
too much data!!!

Our local NBC TV station put cameras on a pair of adult peregrine falcons
in Philadelphia on their website. I was at their nest on the roof of the
Bell Atlantic tower to release an healed-up juvenile peregrine falcon
while the two resident peregrines dive bombed me and the juvenile (thank
God for hardhats!). It was a life list event! The juvi made it to the Ben
Franklin bridge and has never been accounted for since.

Andy


Andy

jmcquown wrote:
> Chatty Cathy wrote:
> > Andy wrote:
> >> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15
> >> feet away.
> >>
> >> ))
> >
> >
> > That's great Andy. Isn't it so kewl living in the "country"?
> > Saw a sparrow feeding a cuckoo chick this morning - the cuckoos lay
> > their eggs in other birds' nests and the other birds bring them up as
> > their own.... the chick was bigger than the adopted "Momma"
>
> I heard on the news this morning there are a couple of red hawk chicks
> living on a billboard platform. The folks who rented the billboard space
> have decided to wait out the big fuzzy chicks, which so far don't do
> anything but wander around in the nest. They aren't nearly old enough to
> fly yet. At least they aren't trying to eradicate them.
>
> Jill

It would be a PR nightmare if they messed with them. ;-)

There have been incidences of mother hawks diving at people that got
near nests in populated places. In one place, (don't remember where),
they passed out umbrellas to people that had to walk near the nest.
Most raptors are protected by law.

Om

Andy wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in news:xb57g.36834$Kn4.13941
> @bignews2.bellsouth.net:
>
> > I heard on the news this morning there are a couple of red hawk chicks
>
>
> Jill,
>
> Red "tail" or "shoulder" hawks? The red shoulder being the more good
> looking of the two.
>
> I hope an ornithologist can get up there to band them. We can never have
> too much data!!!
>
> Our local NBC TV station put cameras on a pair of adult peregrine falcons
> in Philadelphia on their website. I was at their nest on the roof of the
> Bell Atlantic tower to release an healed-up juvenile peregrine falcon
> while the two resident peregrines dive bombed me and the juvenile (thank
> God for hardhats!). It was a life list event! The juvi made it to the Ben
> Franklin bridge and has never been accounted for since.
>
> Andy

No radio band? :-(

I saw an adult peregrine having "breakfast" in the HEB parking lot in
town here a year or so ago. Some hapless female grackle. <G> We have
those to spare.....

It was quite a thrill!

Om

Andy wrote:
> "jmcquown" > wrote in
> :
>
> > Andy wrote:
> >> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15 feet
> >> away.
> >>
> >> ))
> >>
> >> Andy
> >
> > AWWWW! Where I last worked we had a couple of fox kits that would run
> > around the lawn next to the parking lot. I remember one of them
> > jumping up on a car (okay, the owner probably wasn't happy about that)
> > and momma fox yelling at it to get down. It was so fun to watch them
> > frolicking.
> >
> > Unfortunately, some people were afraid of the foxes (we aren't talking
> > about pit bulls, folks, just little red foxes) so they insisted
> > building management call animal control. (sigh) I hope they relocated
> > them rather than kill them. One day they were there, running around
> > and playing, the next they weren't. There are a number of protected
> > places in the area (Shelby Farms, for example) where they could have
> > been released to live in the wild. Hopefully that was the case.
> >
> > Jill
>
>
> Jill,
>
> An aside, on day 2 of our moving in, we invited my ex-wife's family to
> come and see the place. I remember walking some of them around the back
> deck and into the great room a split-level below the main floor. We
> closed the door and looked out of the large picture window and all of a
> sudden an adult red foxt came trotting down the deck stairs and stood on
> the patio and just looked at us, as if to say "Hey where's my treat?
> Didn't the original owner mention me?" It looked upset almost and then
> just walked into the woods.
>
> The neighbors relayed a story to us that at sunset, they would see a red
> fox just sitting at the top of the driveway nearly every night. SO...
> apparently the original owner HAD been treating the fox and they had
> "become friends". I wish he HAD told me, THE BUM! But I'm still glad
> they're here. They live under the cabana by the pool that's built out
> over a medium grade hill so they have coverage from the elements.
>
> What's not to love about foxes? Plus they keep the field mice and
> chipmunk populations in check. Sadly a lot of them end up with mainge and
> thee's nothing I can do to help.
>
> Andy

Yes, you can.

Sarcoptic mange is caused by mites.
Talk to your vet about oral treatments and then set out bait.

I'm sure Ivermectin will help, plus it'll clear them of worms, fleas
and ticks. :-)

Cheers!

Om

"Andy" <q> wrote

> Our local NBC TV station put cameras on a pair of adult peregrine falcons
> in Philadelphia on their website. I was at their nest on the roof of the
> Bell Atlantic tower to release an healed-up juvenile peregrine falcon
> while the two resident peregrines dive bombed me and the juvenile (thank
> God for hardhats!). It was a life list event! The juvi made it to the Ben
> Franklin bridge and has never been accounted for since.

New York City has its own famous red tail hawks, imagine the
outcry when some famous resident wanted the nest off their
window.

http://www.palemale.com/

nancy

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
oups.com:

> Andy wrote:
>> "jmcquown" > wrote in
>> :
>>
>> > Andy wrote:
>> >> Two red fox kits play fighting outside my kitchen window, not 15
>> >> feet away.
>> >>
>> >> ))
>> >>
>> >> Andy
>> >
>> > AWWWW! Where I last worked we had a couple of fox kits that would
>> > run around the lawn next to the parking lot. I remember one of
>> > them jumping up on a car (okay, the owner probably wasn't happy
>> > about that) and momma fox yelling at it to get down. It was so fun
>> > to watch them frolicking.
>> >
>> > Unfortunately, some people were afraid of the foxes (we aren't
>> > talking about pit bulls, folks, just little red foxes) so they
>> > insisted building management call animal control. (sigh) I hope
>> > they relocated them rather than kill them. One day they were
>> > there, running around and playing, the next they weren't. There
>> > are a number of protected places in the area (Shelby Farms, for
>> > example) where they could have been released to live in the wild.
>> > Hopefully that was the case.
>> >
>> > Jill
>>
>>
>> Jill,
>>
>> An aside, on day 2 of our moving in, we invited my ex-wife's family
>> to come and see the place. I remember walking some of them around the
>> back deck and into the great room a split-level below the main floor.
>> We closed the door and looked out of the large picture window and all
>> of a sudden an adult red foxt came trotting down the deck stairs and
>> stood on the patio and just looked at us, as if to say "Hey where's
>> my treat? Didn't the original owner mention me?" It looked upset
>> almost and then just walked into the woods.
>>
>> The neighbors relayed a story to us that at sunset, they would see a
>> red fox just sitting at the top of the driveway nearly every night.
>> SO... apparently the original owner HAD been treating the fox and
>> they had "become friends". I wish he HAD told me, THE BUM! But I'm
>> still glad they're here. They live under the cabana by the pool
>> that's built out over a medium grade hill so they have coverage from
>> the elements.
>>
>> What's not to love about foxes? Plus they keep the field mice and
>> chipmunk populations in check. Sadly a lot of them end up with mainge
>> and thee's nothing I can do to help.
>>
>> Andy
>
> Yes, you can.
>
> Sarcoptic mange is caused by mites.
> Talk to your vet about oral treatments and then set out bait.
>
> I'm sure Ivermectin will help, plus it'll clear them of worms, fleas
> and ticks. :-)
>
> Cheers!
>
> Om


Om,

Thanks for sharing the magic. I'll call a vet on Monday! I didn't know.

All the best,

Andy

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
oups.com:

> No radio band? :-(
>
> I saw an adult peregrine having "breakfast" in the HEB parking lot in
> town here a year or so ago. Some hapless female grackle. <G> We have
> those to spare.....
>
> It was quite a thrill!
>
> Om


IT'S A GRACKLE! NO, IT'S A CLOUD OF GRACLE FEATHERS!

Them and starlings!!!

I've posted these before, but for your enjoyment,

Here's the juvi:
http://i3.tinypic.com/xclywx.jpg

And here's the adult dive bombers:
http://i1.tinypic.com/xcm1aa.jpg

Andy

"Nancy Young" > wrote in news:e3iv4t$ckv$1
@news.monmouth.com:

> New York City has its own famous red tail hawks, imagine the
> outcry when some famous resident wanted the nest off their
> window.
>
> http://www.palemale.com/
>
> nancy


nancy,

Great photograhy!!! Raptors. Gotta love 'em! Nature's garbage cleaners.

Nice being higher up on the bird food chain!

All the best,

Andy

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
oups.com:

> Most raptors are protected by law.
>
> Om


Om,

Protected by law doesn't protect them from man-made hazards, like mirrored
window skyscrapers and antenna guy wires with the blinking airplane warning
red lights, that neotropics see as stars to misguide them to their deaths.
The attrition rate is attrocious. Watch them while you can. "sigh*

Andy

Andy wrote:
> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
> oups.com:
>
> > Andy wrote:
>
> >> What's not to love about foxes? Plus they keep the field mice and
> >> chipmunk populations in check. Sadly a lot of them end up with mainge
> >> and thee's nothing I can do to help.
> >>
> >> Andy
> >
> > Yes, you can.
> >
> > Sarcoptic mange is caused by mites.
> > Talk to your vet about oral treatments and then set out bait.
> >
> > I'm sure Ivermectin will help, plus it'll clear them of worms, fleas
> > and ticks. :-)
> >
> > Cheers!
> >
> > Om
>
>
> Om,
>
> Thanks for sharing the magic. I'll call a vet on Monday! I didn't know.
>
> All the best,
>
> Andy

I hope it helps! :-)
I really do.......

We cured one of two newly adopted dogs of heartworm using the pour-on
cattle Ivermectin in their water. Risky, but I could not afford the vet
bill for treatment. The two dogs were supposed to be temporary
"borders" as a favor. :-P Have not heard from their "owner" now in
about 2 years.

It's very, very common in poultry husbandry to use that to control
spider mites, poultry mites, hen fleas and poultry worms.

Cheers!
Om

Andy wrote:
> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
> oups.com:
>
> > No radio band? :-(
> >
> > I saw an adult peregrine having "breakfast" in the HEB parking lot in
> > town here a year or so ago. Some hapless female grackle. <G> We have
> > those to spare.....
> >
> > It was quite a thrill!
> >
> > Om
>
>
> IT'S A GRACKLE! NO, IT'S A CLOUD OF GRACLE FEATHERS!
>
> Them and starlings!!!

<lol> And freeway pigeons..... ;-D

>
> I've posted these before, but for your enjoyment,
>
> Here's the juvi:
> http://i3.tinypic.com/xclywx.jpg
>
> And here's the adult dive bombers:
> http://i1.tinypic.com/xcm1aa.jpg
>
> Andy

Lovely, thanks! :-)

I need to find and scan some of my wildlife rescue 35mm pictures of
owls and red tail hawks. I still have the scars on one forearm from
where I got "careless" when examining an injured barn owl for broken
bones. <G> She managed to slip one set of talons out of the hand
protected by the welders glove......

Those talons lock when they grip and go damned near to the bone.

Om

Andy wrote:
> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in
> oups.com:
>
> > Most raptors are protected by law.
> >
> > Om
>
>
> Om,
>
> Protected by law doesn't protect them from man-made hazards, like mirrored
> window skyscrapers and antenna guy wires with the blinking airplane warning
> red lights, that neotropics see as stars to misguide them to their deaths.
> The attrition rate is attrocious. Watch them while you can. "sigh*
>
> Andy

I know. :-(
I put blinds outside over my back windows to stop the "bird splats",
and it insulated the porch better.

It protects them somewhat from human idiots, but not always.....

Om

"Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" > wrote in
6.121:

> Andy <q> :
>
>>
>> What's not to love about foxes? Plus they keep the field mice and
>> chipmunk populations in check. Sadly a lot of them end up with mainge
>> and thee's nothing I can do to help.
>>
>> Andy
>
> I found a stray English Water Spaniel once, with a horrendous case of
> mange. The vet said there wasn't much hope for him but I was
> determined. His entire body was shaved, and I mean down to the skin.
> On 1/2 his body went a topical and the other 1/2 was rubbed an
> antibiotic cream. We had to rotate this way every day. I kept him in
> a guest room and he was pretty much isolated from the other animals. I
> kept the room spotless and clean. He never developed infections and
> finally recoverd fully from the disease. He lived happily with us
> another 8 years. His name was Peanuts and he was a sweetie. That was
> when I was 11 years old.
>
> You might check with rescue groups to see if there is something you
> can give them orally. I'm sure lots of new medications have come
> around since our dog had it.
>
> Michael


Michael,

I understand, but don't know how to lure a fox. They're more afraid of
me! I though about treating them to "mice-in-a-box" but I can't condemn
one animal to another on purpose.

The foxes run when they hear my car start. Clever as a fox is too true.

Thanks for the info! I know my animal control guy. He put down a humane
trap for a groundhog in the pool area. The trap landed a racoon, which my
pool cleaning jerks opened and released from the trap. My landscape guy
witnessed it and told me what took place. I called the game commission
and they came and gave the pool service a huge fine (releaseing a trapped
state game commission animal is a crime). I fired the pool service at the
same time!

Andy