Saturday Snapshot (May 25, 2013) More Wildlife in the Backyard

It was hard to decide which pictures to share this week. There were deer in our own back yard; our fresh vegetables in our pot; a very large black snake and sun-tipped trees. I'll share the critters today and save the others for another day.

I was taking pictures of the garden when I heard crackling in the woods to the right.

I suspected it had to be deer and then saw the white tail swatting flies.

The first picture you cannot see the deer hidden to the left of the big trunk.

I zoomed in and after about three photos she looked straight at me - picture 2. 

There was another to the left of the first and she looked up at me too.

I don't see any horns but the ears are bigger. 

Could be the mother or a young buck maybe.

Tuesday morning my DH was looking out from our bedroom balcony and called to me to get the camera.
Looking down from our balcony there was a visitor between the two tree trunks, just to the right of the tool shed, near the black object on the ground. You would have to pull in this picture to see it. 

Zoomed in you see the black snake - probably a five or six footer.
One reason I am cautious around the wood piles!

Thanks to all who stop by and visit. I love seeing your photos too even if I don't visit till Friday night!

A big Thank You to Alyce at Alyce of At Home With Books. who has hosted this meme for a number of years. She is taking a summer hiatus at her blog and the new host will be Melissa at West Metro Mommy. Thank you to Melissa for picking up the responsibility. 

To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky being hosted this summer by West Metro Mommy. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.

Wild Kingdom in My Own Backyard! (Comment Giveaway)

...Or alternative title: Hummingbirds, Deer and Turkeys, Oh My!

We have a nice balcony off of our second story bedroom. Often we sit out in the morning and we see wild visitors in the yard. I got a few photos over the past few weeks that I wanted to share with you.

First, we have a hummingbird feeder right above our head. Those little guys zip by all the time when DH is sitting there but they wouldn't stop when I had the camera. So I had to get a distance zoom shot.  The first picture barely shows the red feeder on the second pine trunk (just above the railing) as you look toward the pool.  The next shot is the hummer I caught feeding! I expect we won't see too many more hummers now that cool weather is coming in. 

Often I spot the deer from the bathroom widow and by the time I get the camera they get disturbed.  I was very sorry I didn't get a shot of the doe and her two spotted fawns. But this is a nice shot of one of the visiting deer. The other shots were of her moving away as she heard our dogs head out the dog door. The dogs will run up to the edge of the cleared yard and bark.  They haven't been running in the woods as much since Bear suffered the snake bite a couple of months ago.

Then a few days ago I was startled to see a new critter in the yard! This is the first year we have seen a wild turkey! The first picture was taken through the bathroom screen so it is a little blurry. I actually was so excited I was having a hard time holding the camera still. The next day she showed up and I got a quick shot from the balcony as she turned to go back in the woods because she didn't like my presence.

I wouldn't call it a gobble but she definitely clucks as she heads back to the woods!
Now I keep the camera upstairs and handy so hopefully I can get some better shots.

So- Tell me what wild animals you've had around your backyard. It doesn't have to be current to join in. Maybe as a child you saw a moose in your yard; or even a raccoon up close. We currently have a family of four raccoons living about a half mile or so down the dirt community drive as I see them scrambling across the road and up a tree when I drive home every night.

If I get 10 comments then I will draw a winner to pick their choice of book from the Friday Pick list.  I would pick an animal book but (1) I'm not sure how many I have, (2) I don't have time to run through the list and (3) the winner would probably like to make their own choice anyway.
Extra five entries if you send a photo to join your comment.  Send to mesreadsATgmail and I will post them for you unless you tell me not to. :) If there aren't 10 comments, don't worry - I'll apply your extra entries to another giveaway so there is some incentive. :)
Let's see - we'll leave this chat giveaway open until 10PM Central October 15, 2010.
Happy hunting - with a camera PLEASE not a gun!