May 7, 2010: Whisperer

[squirell nutkin]

Nah, you need the context. It's great the way it is.

[SPUCK]

We have chickens and fight endlessly against the rats that come for their spilled feed. We've taken to leaving the gate to the pen open at night after closing them in their coop. This provides access to the local cat to hunt the rats that spend the night trying to squeeze, climb, or chew their way into the coop.

Last night our son was laying out on the brick walkway looking at the stars when hideous animal screams started from the coop about 10 feet away. Simultaneously he got a whiff of skunk and saw a bright shooting star.

He was right on the path to the pen and feared he'd have a panicked skunk running into him so he got up briskly. Looking in the direction of the recent commotion he saw a skunk carrying a very large rat in its mouth farther into the heavily planted area of the pen.

We had no idea skunks were rat predators! We are quite happy about it too.

[squirell nutkin]

Skunks will also kill chickens. A farmer friend hates skunks, they'll get into the pen and start killing chickens, eating them alive. I'll spare you the gruesome details, but it's slow and unpleasant.

OTOH, their fur is exceptionally soft and luxurious (luxuriant?) and was called "American Sable" Until the sable industry lobbied to prevent confusing names. When American Sable had to be called skunk, it lost a lot of appeal.

[jinx]

Originally Posted by monster

(yes, I have discovered the "auto-enhance" since our discussions in the Treasure hunt threads! -what a weird function that is -I'm sure the grass wasn't that color...)

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by richlevy

Y'know I had heard the word stoat before but never knew what animal referred to.

Those guys looked like weasels.

According to the dictionary, stoat = ermine = weasel.

Now maybe that's an oversimplification of the dictionary and ermine/stoat is a member of the weasel family.

Or it could be a British thing like lorry/truck and torch/flashlight.

Nope, stoat and weasel are different animals in this country. I had to find a site to detail the difference as I couldn't remember myself. Turns out they're so damn close it's hard to tell them apart (wildlife Britain site). The main difference is the litters and that the weasel does not have a black tip to its tail. The pics look identical to me!

Originally Posted by monster

My friend and I saw two robins chasing a squirrel as we walked the other day. By the time I got my camera out, the tide had turned and the squirrel was after the robins....

That's a robin?
I'm taking it that's an American robin then.
Is that what they put on Christmas cards?

[jinx]

I'm taking it that's an American robin then.

Could be an unladen african-american robin...

[Sundae]

This is our chap (from the Wiki page European Robin)

[squirell nutkin]

I doubt he could carry an empty coconut...

[monster]

Yes, SG, they're totally different birds, just both happen to have red breasts -American robins are HUGE -probably can't tell from the pic, though, 'cause Michigan Squirrels are also HUGE. -thet driveway behind them is two car width. Those paving slabs on the sidewalk are about 4 feet wide.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by SPUCK

Around here if you stepped back to take that picture of the petrified rabbit, a hawk would snatch it.

Why, hell, boy!! Around these parts one of our squirrels would have that rabbit on the street and turning tricks within a fortnight.

[squirell nutkin]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Why, hell, boy!! Around these parts one of our squirrels would have that rabbit on the street and turning tricks within a fortnight.

[Sundae]

Ta Monster. I did think it looked a bit beefier than our little bundles of fluff. Seriously, though - are American robins associated with Winter/ Christmas?

I'd also like to add that now our chooks are getting bigger, I carry them on their backs. I take them out to the outside run when it's sunny and their wings are now strong enough to cause themselves some damage if not held right. It stops the the distress call which works the remaining chick up, making it harder to handle when I come back.

Mrs G (a chicken owner as well as teacher) was impressed that I knew to do this. I thought I'd sound irresponsible if I said I'd learned it on t'internet.

[squirell nutkin]

American Robins are the emblem of Spring, although they often hang around in winter if there is enough food.

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Mrs G (a chicken owner as well as teacher) was impressed that I knew to do this. I thought I'd sound irresponsible if I said I'd learned it on t'internet.

Nah. You'd have sounded like someone who is able to research a subject quickly and assimilate the necessary information.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

Ta Monster. I did think it looked a bit beefier than our little bundles of fluff. Seriously, though - are American robins associated with Winter/ Christmas?

Nope, Cardinals on Christmas cards.