Cool mornings, warm bodies
Here’s an adult female deer tick that I photographed yesterday on this ruler (inches). They are actually rather large compared to young ticks, or nymphs. I pulled another one off my dog this morning. If you live near or frequent an area or habitat prone to ticks be aware that at this time of year the cool autumn mornings can lead these parasites to find any warm body they can, leaping on to mammals quickly. Thankfully you should be able to spot them if you check carefully.
Read MoreBirds and small mammals can’t read
I have spotted wayyy too many cats outdoors today with a lot of small passerine targets and even a dead chipmunk that was likely the work of a furry family member. See this sign? Birds and other small mammals can’t read. You can. Bring them indoors permanently, please, so these are the only cats we see outside.
Read MoreKeep cats indoors
The State of the Birds Report 2014 tells us that 2.4 billion birds are killed by cats annually in America with 196 million more slaughtered in Canada. That is not even beginning to mention how many small mammals they kill. How do we solve this? Keep cats, an invasive non-native species introduced by humans, indoors. That’s it. I know we have feral cats and that complex problem is very difficult to solve. I have had cats my entire life and have rescued plenty of strays, dealt with colonies, seen many suffer horribly because they live outside and others perish due in grotesque fashion....
Read MoreRing-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus)
Whenever I see a Ring-necked Snake (Diadophis punctatus) I think of the one that came into our basement years ago looking for a cozy place to hibernate. The cats did not appreciate that decision but the snake did appreciate a trip back outside.
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