Backyard Wildlife

Jim F.

Still a Genuine Montana Fossil
Looked for a few photogenic pollinators around the yard today with none noted. I did find this Mud Dauber nest however. I have never seen one with this many chambers before. Pretty impressive hatch success rate - 13 of 14. I'm guessing this is a Black & Yellow Mud Dauber structure.DSC00702 (2).JPG
 

Gyrfalcon22

Life of the Party
I think @Stonedfish immature American Kestrel made its way this way as I had a look-alike perch while hitting the laz-y-boy outside tonight. As soon as it landed in the old spruce 100 yards up and over, the barn swallows showed up for some good time strafing. Two of the most acrobatic flying birds in one spot. No need to bother @Cabezon to ID this one. I learned my lesson on the last one trying to convince myself @Stonedfish had himself a Merlin, haha. Steve was right on with going first with what bird is most common, and a birder will always try and go with the rarer ID.

Good to get another chance so soon with a bird with all the traits that make it clearly a kestrel. Now, the Barn swallows may have the ID off as I am guessing they might be thinking the kestrel is an accipiter, or even a Merlin. Kestrels are not bird eaters but rarely I have read. Never have seen one with a bird in decades here.. so the swallows are just testy without real reason.
I do not see immature kestrels too often, and great to see a new of the year bird gearing towards hopefully many years of its life ahead.
 
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Gyrfalcon22

Life of the Party
One of our big bulls snuck into an isolated far spot in a field and is eating the cotton candy. He seems content.

I never worry about posting No Trespassing signs on that end of the property.



When I see a big black shape moving in the densely covered areas I sort of pause as I have to try and ID what the heck it is first. We have other big black creatures as well ! Either one could just sit on you and it would be overwith.
 
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Merle

Roy’s cousin
Forum Supporter
I was sitting on the back deck today and heard a commotion in the brush/woods. Suddenly a rabbit shot out of the cover with a brown blur close behind. The rabbit kept going and the brown blur stopped and revealed itself to be a bobcat which proceeded to calmly walk across our back lawn. I was able to get some video footage, but can’t seem to upload it, I’m guessing it’s too big a file size. But here’s a screen shot from the vid.686D1349-BC65-4557-B298-840AA7D18644.png
 

Gyrfalcon22

Life of the Party
Can we open a backyard fish watching forum? I spent a couple of hours yesterday watching Chinook salmon hopping on our river about 2 minutes out the front door here. In most of the past 15 years or more it has been pretty futile to watch for the big guys before the jump-happy Coho show.

This year looks great. It does appear that there is a real bumper crop in the river. Extra cool to see. Might some early Coho mixed with not too many jacks, but mostly Chinook adults at this point.
 
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Jim F.

Still a Genuine Montana Fossil
Nice catch! I remember that a number of years ago, there was a cow Moose in the same general area.
 
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