Words and pictures from the author of And the Crows Took Their Eyes as well as the Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mysteries . . .
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Great Backyard Possum Count
Seen again at the birdfeeder -- one Spotsford O. Possum . . . who sincerely wishes I would find someone else to photograph . . .
Look at his face . . . he's muttering to himself as he hurries away. "That blankety-blank woman!"
"How's a possum supposed to make a living with blankety-blank paparazzi all over the blankety-blank place? Oh, my little pink feet are blankety-blank cold!"
Also seen during the Great Backyard Bird Count: Cardinals, Blue Jays, Nuthatches, Goldfinches, Tufted Titmice, Purple Finches, Rufous-Sided Towhees, Wild Turkeys, Mourning Doves, Brown Thrashers, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, Black-Eyed Juncoes, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Pine Siskins and a bunch af sparrows, but which kind, I couldn't say.
Great to take photos of that little guy! I've never seen a living possum, but heaps of dead ones in New Zealand, where they were introduced by accident. They have no natural enemies and multiply very fast. They are a threat to the native bird of N.Z, the kiwi. Thanks for your visit, Vicki!
Your little visiting possum is the star of the show for me. But what a cast of bird-life you have there too! Such wonderful names. I'm not sure that we've got anything labelled quite as exotically as Tufted Titmice, Rufous-Sided Towhees, Brown Thrashers, Carolina Chickadees, Black-Eyed Juncoes or Pine Siskins. Time for me to put a few faces to the names, I think!
I look out at my bird feeders several times throughout the day, but isn't it something when you actually sit down and watch a while and then you see all the different types of birds who come to visit. It's a busy place.
Mr. O. Possum comes to visit us often and I've found out he lives under one of our out buildings. He loves to come and clean up the 'leftovers' under the bird feeders, such as Spotsford does.
Wil -Here, posssums seem to be kept in check by cars, which they hurl themselves under at the earliest opportunity. How much damage introduced species do! -- in our mountain, wild hogs are a problem in some areas -- introduced Russian boars and feral domestic pigs.
Birds do have great names, Martin -- just think of Blue-footed Boobies and The Lesser Grebe!
An eagle, Victoria! Too cool! I saw one by the river a few years ago but not recently, alas!
Hey, Pat, sounds as if you all are getting dumped on again. (Snow, snow, beautiful snow . . .)
Re paparazzi -- Spotsford, it is rumored, was once linked with a certain Ms. A. Jolie and ever since the ensuing brouhaha, he has felt like a hunted animal.
Do you have possums in NYC, Lyn? Maybe in Central Park?
Ah, the possum. Back in the day, I was a lover of every book that James Alfred Wright wrote under the pen name James Herriot, and I loved the TV show based on his book, “All God’s Creatures, Great and Small.
The man truly did love all God’s creatures. But in the back of my mind, I kept thinking that Wright, a British veterinarian, never had the experience of dealing with a wild possum
Spotsford is one lucky blankety-blank fellow, and when you are as famous as he is...well papparazzi is the price you pay for fame.:-) Thanks for the chuckle. Tammy (The resident possum here is a rather homely fellow with only half a tail...)
Hi, Bo, I, too, loved Herriot's books. Never saw the TV shows, alas! Possums can be pretty fierce but as long as we can eep them out of the chicken coop, we all get along just fine.
Spotsford IS quite good looking for a possum, Tammy. So many possums are kind of moth eaten looking. Probably it's not an easy life for most of them.
I love your pictures and the way of speaking about this animal:"little guy", Mr.O Possum" The names of all the birds - known or unknown -make a beautiful music !
Had to chime back in and say I love James Herriott's books as well. I've reread and reread them, and have one book on casssette. For Christmas I got the first season of the BBC All Creatures. So far it is a bit of a slow go, but I've only watched two of them. I think it will get better. :-) Tammy
There's that possum again. So cute. I love his odd looking tail. Is he alone, I wonder or does he have a mate somewhere Bet the babies are cute. I love the sound of your birds. We don't have those over here except the sparrows of course. Blessings, Star
Wow! We get lots of critters in my S.Ontario backyard - loads of birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, but I've only once seen a 'possum and he was scooting down the street by the light of the lamps in the night-time.
16 comments:
Great to take photos of that little guy! I've never seen a living possum, but heaps of dead ones in New Zealand, where they were introduced by accident. They have no natural enemies and multiply very fast. They are a threat to the native bird of N.Z, the kiwi.
Thanks for your visit, Vicki!
Vicki
Your little visiting possum is the star of the show for me. But what a cast of bird-life you have there too!
Such wonderful names. I'm not sure that we've got anything labelled quite as exotically as Tufted Titmice, Rufous-Sided Towhees, Brown Thrashers, Carolina Chickadees, Black-Eyed Juncoes or Pine Siskins. Time for me to put a few faces to the names, I think!
Yippie, Spotsford came back! He is the cutest little guy!
What a great variety of birds you had to count! We just had the usual, except for a Bald Eagle I spotted down at the lake.
I look out at my bird feeders several times throughout the day, but isn't it something when you actually sit down and watch a while and then you see all the different types of birds who come to visit. It's a busy place.
Mr. O. Possum comes to visit us often and I've found out he lives under one of our out buildings. He loves to come and clean up the 'leftovers' under the bird feeders, such as Spotsford does.
Wil -Here, posssums seem to be kept in check by cars, which they hurl themselves under at the earliest opportunity. How much damage introduced species do! -- in our mountain, wild hogs are a problem in some areas -- introduced Russian boars and feral domestic pigs.
Birds do have great names, Martin -- just think of Blue-footed Boobies and The Lesser Grebe!
An eagle, Victoria! Too cool! I saw one by the river a few years ago but not recently, alas!
Hey, Pat, sounds as if you all are getting dumped on again. (Snow, snow, beautiful snow . . .)
A litle fame seems to have gone to possum's head..Now you're the paparazzi? Next thing he'll be treading the red carpet! But he is awfully cute!
Re paparazzi -- Spotsford, it is rumored, was once linked with a certain Ms. A. Jolie and ever since the ensuing brouhaha, he has felt like a hunted animal.
Do you have possums in NYC, Lyn? Maybe in Central Park?
Ah, the possum. Back in the day, I was a lover of every book that James Alfred Wright wrote under the pen name James Herriot, and I loved the TV show based on his book, “All God’s Creatures, Great and Small.
The man truly did love all God’s creatures. But in the back of my mind, I kept thinking that Wright, a British veterinarian, never had the experience of dealing with a wild possum
Spotsford is one lucky blankety-blank fellow, and when you are as famous as he is...well papparazzi is the price you pay for fame.:-) Thanks for the chuckle.
Tammy (The resident possum here is a rather homely fellow with only half a tail...)
Hi, Bo, I, too, loved Herriot's books. Never saw the TV shows, alas!
Possums can be pretty fierce but as long as we can eep them out of the chicken coop, we all get along just fine.
Spotsford IS quite good looking for a possum, Tammy. So many possums are kind of moth eaten looking. Probably it's not an easy life for most of them.
I love your pictures and the way of speaking about this animal:"little guy", Mr.O Possum"
The names of all the birds - known or unknown -make a beautiful music !
Miss Yves -- I have been accused before this of thinking of animals as little people in furry suits.
Had to chime back in and say I love James Herriott's books as well. I've reread and reread them, and have one book on casssette. For Christmas I got the first season of the BBC All Creatures. So far it is a bit of a slow go, but I've only watched two of them. I think it will get better. :-)
Tammy
There's that possum again. So cute. I love his odd looking tail. Is he alone, I wonder or does he have a mate somewhere Bet the babies are cute.
I love the sound of your birds. We don't have those over here except the sparrows of course.
Blessings, Star
Wow! We get lots of critters in my S.Ontario backyard - loads of birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, but I've only once seen a 'possum and he was scooting down the street by the light of the lamps in the night-time.
I love these photos.
Kat
He looks like he's had a rough winter : )
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