Family in the road...

[GabeU]

On my way back from taking my cat to the vet this morning I came across these guys on my road.

[MarkJFine]

Beats the family of vultures feasting on the dead deer in the ditch while on my run yesterday.

[GabeU]

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@MarkJFine wrote:

Beats the family of vultures feasting on the dead deer in the ditch while on my run yesterday.

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Eek!  I can just imagine.  

We have our fair share of turkey vultures around here, though the only time I actually see them chomping on something is when there is a small bit of roadkill, but nothing like a deer, or at least not that I've had the displeasure of witnessing.  Still, rarely does a week go by during the summer where I don't see at least a few doing their circling thing, riding the thermals.  Granted, it's getting later in the year so they're mostly gone now.  

And they're one of the ugliest birds I've ever seen.  😬

[MarkJFine]

Indeed. Lots of road kill this time of year. You can smell it festering as you run past the wooded areas.

I see a lot of wildlife while I'm out, but I can't stop my run to take any pictures. Last week there was a turkey and it's chick just wanderding about. Then there's often deer, foxes, and the occasional... BEAR!

[GabeU]

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@MarkJFine wrote:

Indeed. Lots of road kill this time of year.  

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You got that right!  I was shocked by the amount on my drive to the vet.  It's a country vet and it's about 20 miles from here, and the entire drive is "country" as well.  I must have come across at least a dozen examples.

And the worst part was a skunk.  I saw it on the way down and easily avoided it.  On the way back, however, a vehicle coming in the opposite direction ran over it and threw a little bit of it up onto my Jeep.  I couldn't really see it, but I could hear it when it hit.  It was raining a good bit at the time, so it washed off, but the smell still stayed.  When I got home I hosed the thing down as best I could, including the front grille and undercarriage, as the smell followed me all the way home.  I'm so glad I had the driver's side window completely closed at the time.  

I have to go back to get my cat either later on today or tomorrow morning, and I hope it doesn't still reek.  

One second earlier or later and I would have been fine.  Out of the entire trip, which was at least an hour's worth of driving... one second.  SMH.

[GabeU]

Though it's the best I could do, as I didn't notice them until they were already exiting, they paid me a visit...

They ended up going being the garage (behind the red Jeep) and over to a field.  I tried to run over and head them off, as there are hunters out there today, but I was too late.  Luckily, after looking it up, it's not turkey season!  🙂🙂🙂

[maratsade]

That's pretty scary.

MarkJFine wrote:

Then there's often deer, foxes, and the occasional... BEAR!

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[MarkJFine]

Luckily, I've only seen bear when on my bike. I'm not fast enough on foot.

We also have coyote, but I've only heard them.

[maratsade]

I often feel like I live in a wildlife preserve.   I usually just see deer, possums, squirrels, rabbits, hawks, turkey buzzards, turkeys,  and guinea fowl.  

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@MarkJFine wrote:

Luckily, I've only seen bear when on my bike. I'm not fast enough on foot.

We also have coyote, but I've only heard them.

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[GabeU]

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@MarkJFine wrote:

Luckily, I've only seen bear when on my bike. I'm not fast enough on foot.

We also have coyote, but I've only heard them.

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The only time I've ever seen a bear in the wild is one time when I was on my way back home to Manassas, VA from visiting my folks here in NY.   It was back in the late 90s and I was on Rte. 15, going up one of the foothills outside of Williamsport, I think, and I saw what I thought was a big dog.  As I got closer I realized it was black bear trying to go under the guard rail.  It finally realized it was too big and went over it instead, then just ambled across the road.  I was so tempted to stop, roll down my window and get a picture with my camera, as I had it out at the time, but I thought stopping near it probably wasn't the best idea.  It was pretty neat, though.  

We have bears in this general area, though I've not heard of one sited near here in a long time.  

Coyotes?  Ugh.  I've only seen them from a distance, but we have a slew of them around here.  The noise they sometimes make is really creepy.  Like women wailing or something.

[MarkJFine]

That's a good description. From afar, no matter how many times I see one, I always think "wow, that's a really big dog."

[maratsade]

"The noise they sometimes make is really creepy.  Like women wailing or something."

Very good analogy.

EDIT: https://youtu.be/0ga0i1FSXZQ

[GabeU]

@maratsade 

Right at 0:21 in that "video".  Ugh.  That sound.  Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.  😛 

[maratsade]

Yes, that's very creepy. 

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@GabeU wrote:

Right at 0:21 in that "video".  Ugh.  That sound.  Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.  😛 

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[maratsade]

They have to eat too. 😉

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@MarkJFine wrote:

Beats the family of vultures feasting on the dead deer in the ditch while on my run yesterday.

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[C0RR0SIVE]

Send a few good ones my way for Turkey Day? 😄

Have seen a lot of wildlife around lately, got a few videos of this little fellow and what seems to be their partner, running around causing chaos at night.

[maratsade]

Is that a fox?

[C0RR0SIVE]

Yeup, few years ago there was a couple running around, hadn't seen any for a few years.  Then I caught that fellow one night, and the next night they managed to set every single camera outside off several times.  Apparently there was a den across the road this year, they are either youngsters that haven't moved away from mama and papa, or they are mama and papa and we will see foxes often again for a few years.

[maratsade]

That's pretty awesome. I've very rarely seen foxes around.