When we moved into this neighborhood, we assumed we were just moving into your average American suburb, and the extent of our animal life exposure would be the assorted cats and dogs, with a few worms and nondescript brown birds thrown in for variety. Little did we know that for the price of our house, we had also bought front-row tickets to a wildlife extravaganza that we never would have imagined. (Although if we had looked at the streets right around our house, we might have gotten a clue ahead of time. Just outside our neighborhood there are "farms" of llamas, black swans, miniature ponies, and what I think are goats.)
In the last four years we have seen some interesting sights right from our windows. We have seen a sheep get chased by a dog around and around our street, yard, and the pond. (We thought it was 2 dogs running until we looked closer!). We have found a mother goat and her baby eating grass in our front yard. A horse walked by our street a few weeks ago. A giant 4-foot blue heron hangs out at the pond across the street. Two white trumpeter swans lived at our pond for about a year.... and a couple times one came over and "knocked" on our door. The pond has also been home to pairs of Mallard ducks, assorted fish that the kids have pulled out on sunny afternoons, and flocks of Canada geese -- including one goose that has orange feet and an orange bill (we call him OrangeFoot), who comes back year after year.
Very large turtles have made their way through our yard, and last summer we found a nest of baby bunnies. Various frogs and toads, of course, have been spotted.... as well as way too many skinks (small lizard things for those of you who don't live around here). In fact, twice we've had skinks in the house! (The first time I was just sitting on the couch quietly while the kids were upstairs sleeping, and doesn't this proud little lizard just prance right across the floor in front of me. I screamed long and hard, and then had to call a neighbor man to come extract it.)
And we've had beautiful birds at our backyard feeder -- many, many bluebirds, blue jays, cardinals, yellow birds (don't know their name), etc. I've woken up several times to a woodpecker pecking a hole into my bedroom (or so it sounded... fortunately he never actually made it through to the inside).
This past week, though, the kids were thrilled to have a close-up view of a whole flock of birds. And by flock, I mean thousands. On one of the days, I could hear a racket from inside the house so I got my camera and went to the back door to investigage. Here is some the video (it actually went on for quite awhile just like this!):
Birds
We are definitely enjoying seeing God's creativity and design in our little corner of the earth!
In the last four years we have seen some interesting sights right from our windows. We have seen a sheep get chased by a dog around and around our street, yard, and the pond. (We thought it was 2 dogs running until we looked closer!). We have found a mother goat and her baby eating grass in our front yard. A horse walked by our street a few weeks ago. A giant 4-foot blue heron hangs out at the pond across the street. Two white trumpeter swans lived at our pond for about a year.... and a couple times one came over and "knocked" on our door. The pond has also been home to pairs of Mallard ducks, assorted fish that the kids have pulled out on sunny afternoons, and flocks of Canada geese -- including one goose that has orange feet and an orange bill (we call him OrangeFoot), who comes back year after year.
Very large turtles have made their way through our yard, and last summer we found a nest of baby bunnies. Various frogs and toads, of course, have been spotted.... as well as way too many skinks (small lizard things for those of you who don't live around here). In fact, twice we've had skinks in the house! (The first time I was just sitting on the couch quietly while the kids were upstairs sleeping, and doesn't this proud little lizard just prance right across the floor in front of me. I screamed long and hard, and then had to call a neighbor man to come extract it.)
And we've had beautiful birds at our backyard feeder -- many, many bluebirds, blue jays, cardinals, yellow birds (don't know their name), etc. I've woken up several times to a woodpecker pecking a hole into my bedroom (or so it sounded... fortunately he never actually made it through to the inside).
This past week, though, the kids were thrilled to have a close-up view of a whole flock of birds. And by flock, I mean thousands. On one of the days, I could hear a racket from inside the house so I got my camera and went to the back door to investigage. Here is some the video (it actually went on for quite awhile just like this!):
Birds
We are definitely enjoying seeing God's creativity and design in our little corner of the earth!
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