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Wildlife Sightings Today

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    • Saw a hen Turkey with about 5 chicks today at Rosy Mound Park. Seeing a wild turkey is not all that special. But these were just hanging out in the middle of the trail, about 20 feet in front of us and completely oblivious to our presence. They pecked away on the trail while we watched for maybe 5 minutes before wandering off into the woods.

      Also at the local outfitter today, they had a Kestral, ScreechOowl, and Great Horned Owl out for display. Not sure if these count as wildlife. A local rescue agency keeps these birds for displays because they have been injured and can't be released back into the wild. The Kestral was particularly stunning.
    • I saw some turkey's chasing each other on my last hike. I don't often see turkeys. They were big and made a lot of noise flying through the woods and landing on the tree limbs. I also saw a rabbit, deer, woodpecker, a grouse or pheasant (?), and a lot of beatles and other bugs. When I was at Lost Creek campground, there was a large spider hanging out around the toilet paper in the women's bathroom. I went in the men's room after that.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Toli wrote:

      Jarred Gap a few years ago, under 60 inches, but 8lbs w/11 rattles and a button, if I remember... Timber Rattler...
      I am so glad I didn't read this before I camped just down a side trail from Jarrad Gap in April, 2013

      TrafficJam wrote:

      We had lots of tarantulas in Texas, they were harmless to humans. It made me sick that many people would douse them with lighter fluid and set them on fire...apparently, they make a screaming noise. Sometimes, kids would tie a string around one and take it for a walk.
      Lived in San Antonio for 3 yrs right after college. Woke up one morning to see a tarantula on the wall over my head.

      odd man out wrote:

      Just saw a ground hog in a tree along the highway exit ramp. Does that make it a tree hog?
      Saw a groundhog on a front yard of a suburban house last week. Backyard of said house is deep and fronts on a rr track.

      odd man out wrote:

      had a deer in the backyard yesterday which is unusual as we live in the suburbs and rarely have deer. Maybe once or twice in the 15 years we have lived here.
      What suburb are you in? I'm in Dearborn. I've seen deer on yards along Cherry Hill street in Dearborn near Ford Field.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      I saw some turkey's chasing each other on my last hike. I don't often see turkeys. They were big and made a lot of noise flying through the woods and landing on the tree limbs. I also saw a rabbit, deer, woodpecker, a grouse or pheasant (?), and a lot of beatles and other bugs. When I was at Lost Creek campground, there was a large spider hanging out around the toilet paper in the women's bathroom. I went in the men's room after that.
      We Were IN Zion NP a few years ago. We were tired from a day of hiking so we just road the shuttle bus around the valley. It was the last shuttle of the day and we were the only passangers. It was quite nice. The driver said at sunset all the turkey's fly into the trees to sleep. Sure enough we passed a grove of trees just filled with roosting turkeys.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      I saw some turkey's chasing each other on my last hike. I don't often see turkeys. They were big and made a lot of noise flying through the woods and landing on the tree limbs. I also saw a rabbit, deer, woodpecker, a grouse or pheasant (?), and a lot of beatles and other bugs. When I was at Lost Creek campground, there was a large spider hanging out around the toilet paper in the women's bathroom. I went in the men's room after that.
      I saw mosquitoes and ticks....does that count?...and grandaddy longlegs.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I saw some turkey's chasing each other on my last hike. I don't often see turkeys. They were big and made a lot of noise flying through the woods and landing on the tree limbs. I also saw a rabbit, deer, woodpecker, a grouse or pheasant (?), and a lot of beatles and other bugs. When I was at Lost Creek campground, there was a large spider hanging out around the toilet paper in the women's bathroom. I went in the men's room after that.
      I saw mosquitoes and ticks....does that count?...and grandaddy longlegs.
      Went for a walk at a local park last evening. Got about 100 yards and ran back to the car due to the mosquitoes. They count.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Rasty wrote:


      The chance of seeing this snake which biking down the Creeper trail was small. It was the only bridge I stopped on to look over the railing.
      Is that snake skin?
      Skin to the left and snake to the right. That railroad tie was hollow and looks like it's someone's home.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • odd man out wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I saw some turkey's chasing each other on my last hike. I don't often see turkeys. They were big and made a lot of noise flying through the woods and landing on the tree limbs. I also saw a rabbit, deer, woodpecker, a grouse or pheasant (?), and a lot of beatles and other bugs. When I was at Lost Creek campground, there was a large spider hanging out around the toilet paper in the women's bathroom. I went in the men's room after that.
      I saw mosquitoes and ticks....does that count?...and grandaddy longlegs.
      Went for a walk at a local park last evening. Got about 100 yards and ran back to the car due to the mosquitoes. They count.
      Even the Count uses a bug net.
      [IMG:https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/myths-legends-dracula-vamp-vampires-sleeping-coffin-wda2263_low.jpg]
    • Rasty wrote:

      A Rafting Guide Saved A Baby Bear That Was Stranded By A River buzzfeed.com/davidmack/noli-bear-rescue
      I first read that as the baby bear was saved by a rafting guide (book) when it was stranded by a river. When did the bear learn to row? When did the bear learn to read?? Who left the book? These are the questions that went through my head.

      Then I realized that some nice person saved a bear and that was pretty cool, too.
      There's no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?
    • max.patch wrote:

      Drybones wrote:

      He'll probably grow up and ravage Cosby Shelter.
      thats the first thing that crossed my mind. its great that he was rescued, but is he being aclimated to being fed by humans? he will be able to fend for himself when released?
      He is at a bear rehab facility
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • this is long but i found it interesting. (this is where the bear is)

      appalachianbearrescue.org/



      Why don't ABR bears become habituated?

      Appalachian Bear Rescue has assisted close to 180 bears to date and not even one bear released from the facility has ever been reported as a “garbage” bear or a “nuisance” bear. ABR attributes this record to our procedures so we will describe them here:
      When it has been determined by wildlife officials that a cub has been orphaned (after 48 hours of monitoring and giving every opportunity for the sow to return for her cub), the cub is captured and admitted to ABR.
      If the cub is over 5 pounds in weight, it is immediately placed on a commercial formula, bottle or bowl-fed every 3-4 hours, and housed with other cubs for comfort and companionship (offering a minimum of human contact). If the cub weighs under 5 pounds, wildlife officials immediately begin the search to find a suitable surrogate mother in the wild while the cub receives care at ABR’s facility.
      If a cub can be reintroduced to the wild immediately with a surrogate mother and siblings, the process moves quickly. If not, the cub is raised at ABR’s facility for later release to the wild. Cubs arriving at ABR’s facility in the spring are weaned by June and introduced to a 1/2-acre bear enclosure which offers numerous hardwood trees, natural dens, and man-made streams and water sources (pools).
      Upon introduction to the bear enclosure, the cubs no longer see humans or receive any human contact (unless medical attention is required). The enclosure’s fence is covered with an 8’ black blind which blocks the cubs’ view of humans or unnatural sights. Food is tossed over the fence and scattered so the cubs must forage in a natural manner.
      The cubs’ diet consists of fruits, berries, nuts and some vegetables that are similar to the natural diet they will find in their wild habitat. Guidelines from TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency), state that bear cubs must weigh at least 50 pounds before they can sustain themselves in the wild.
      ABR’s procedure is to make sure the cubs have attained that weight and that they also exhibit normal foraging behavior, interacting/vocalizing with other cubs and climbing skills. The cubs should exhibit positive bear behavior by staying in the trees during the day and descending to eat at night. If the cubs are moving around for short periods of time during the day, they should immediately retreat to the trees when they hear unusual noises or smell unusual odors.
      The goal at ABR is to make sure bears don’t want to associate with people on any level. During their months in residence with no human contact, the cubs are naturally cautious and afraid of people and retreat to the trees for safety if they hear humans or strange sounds. This is the reason ABR does not have visitors.
      When all of the above-mentioned criteria are met, cubs are prepared for release. Cubs admitted from the National Park area will be returned to a location in the Park, as close as possible to their origination. Cubs admitted from Tennessee but outside the National Park, will be released in one of the TWRA wildlife management areas that offer thousands of acres of plentiful food, water and safe habitat. Cubs admitted from out-of-state wildlife agencies will be returned to their home states .
      The cubs are trapped and put in small holding areas. When officers arrive at the ABR facility to prepare the cubs for transport, the cubs are darted with a mild sedative to allow approximately 30 minutes for a final health check and to measure/weigh them. During this final exam, the cubs are given numbered ear tags and lip tattoos for identification purposes. The cubs are not aware of any of these procedures while they are sedated. Then, the cubs are loaded in a bear box for transport.
      We normally try to release the cubs in pairs, athough there is no scientific data that supports the idea that the cubs stay together in the wild. Bears are ordinarily solitary animals except during breeding season or where food sources are concentrated and abundant. Though they may have enjoyed the interactions of being with other cubs while at ABR, their natural instincts tell them to make their way in the wild alone.
      One exception to our hands-off procedure: If an injured cub or yearling is admitted to ABR, the same procedures apply AFTER the injured bear has had a proper recuperation period. There is no set timeline from admittance to release of an injured bear. The injured bear is given all the time it needs in order to completely heal and rehabilitate from its injury. From time to time, that recuperation period requires that the injured bear must be “wintered.” When this situation occurs, the bear is released the following spring or summer after it has fully recovered.
      ABR’s procedures are constantly re-evaluated so we can maintain our perfect record.
      2,000 miler
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      i did a quick 6 mile loop in harriman yesterday. saw a black rat snake, a black racer, and a nice buck.
      perfect hiking weather.


      I looked up pictures of the snakes to figure out what kind I saw yesterday and they look the same. How can you tell them apart?
      just experience. black rat snakes are pretty common, seen them many times. a racer is shorter and thinner, with a pale throat
      its all good
    • The last time my wife hiked with me involved these two...didn't get a shot of the hornets...she was about 6" from putting her foot down on the rattler, normally don't kill snakes but this one was center of the trail and so well camoed I had trouble finding it with my wife pointing at it...we had to come back that way.
      Images
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      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • There I was making breakfast and putting on the coffee and this lil guy walks around the corner. I know I scared him to death and he retreated rather quickly under my couch.

      I was able to scoop him up and release him outside.

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      Of course I talk to myself... sometimes I need expert advice.