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Shibui

Imperial Masterpiece
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The last 2 years our resident shrike thrushes nested in a bucket inside the shed but every time I went in there she would fly off and hit the window trying to escape and eventually gave up. This year they built a nest in a hanging pot and she has actually hatched a chick which they are now feeding.

I've showed you this guy before. He/she is a regular visitor cadging free sunflower seeds. Yesterday I was taking photos of the bonsai in spring glory and the king parrot came to give advice. Just sat there about a metre away and chattered at me for 15 or 20 minutes as I worked.
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Sunwyrm

Mame
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That is a beautiful spider! The shape reminds me of the orb spiders we have down south, but that messy web doesn't really match the intricate work I associate with orb spiders. Do you know the species?

Pumpkin spider, Araneus marmoreus

Why am I finding myself in all the spider threads today?


Ok, I didn't think they lived up there, but the fat head and body and faded markings reminded me of them.

That's what they want you to think!
 

cbroad

Omono
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That's what they want you to think!
Oh yeah, they can be tricky. I'm not too familiar with them, and supposedly they don't live in my area but I think I've seen one before here. I've heard reports locally of them but fish and game says they're not here...
 

leatherback

The Treedeemer
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Anyone able to ID this cool guy?
I would say a candy striped leaf hopper, or thereabouts.
 

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
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I would say a candy striped leaf hopper, or thereabouts.
Interesting little write up!
Thank you!
They look so cool! 😎
 

Sunwyrm

Mame
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Those snakes are super aggressive and everybody in MD thinks they're cottonmouths. Lol!

All the wild non-venomous snakes I've met have been aggressive as all hell. Had a black rat snake chase me back across my driveway while I was failing to relocate him (nasty thing ate my baby birds on my front door wreath!).

I've also met a very well mannered baby copperhead at a friend's house, that let me move him with a stick. I thought he was a corn snake at the time, since he was so calm; dumb me didn't want him to get hurt with the work we were doing outside.

After these two incidents, I don't think I'll be moving any more snakes if I can help it... Steve Irwin I am not.


Not my best pic, but this little guy nested in our yard this year. They were unsuccessful, but hopefully they'll try again next spring.
YrkfR9B.png
 
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just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
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All the wild non-venomous snakes I've met have been aggressive as all hell. Had a black rat snake chase me back across my driveway while I was failing to relocate him (nasty thing ate my baby birds on my front door wreath!).

I've also met a very well mannered baby copperhead at a friend's house, that let me move him with a stick. I thought he was a corn snake at the time, since he was so calm; dumb me didn't want him to get hurt with the work we were doing outside.

After these two incidents, I don't think I'll be moving any more snakes if I can help it... Steve Irwin I am not.


Not my best pic, but this little guy nested in our yard this year. They were unsuccessful, but hopefully they'll try again next spring.
YrkfR9B.png
Really!
Wow...
I've had good experiences with nearly every non-venomous snake in MD....especially larger black rat snakes.

Those Northern Water Snakes though....I've handled 3, all at once.....2 in one hand and a 3rd in the other....
I was fishing at my old local pond when they all swam by, I just grabbed them.
(Steve Irwin was my childhood hero! RIP Steve!)

I ran up to the dock and put them down on the wood deck. 2 went straight into the water and the 3rd wanted to fight me.
I got a few good pics on an old cell phone, he took one good strike at my ankle but I did a Steve Irwin spin move and avoided contact....lol!

Wrangling wild snakes is great fun for me, and I greatly appreciate them.

Its like catch and release fishing, but snakes and bare hands, haha!

I've had several buddies chased far distances by the Northern Water Snake, in canoes and kayaks, always funny stories.

Edit:
One thing I noticed about snakes....
Once they realize that you're not going to hurt them and they also realize how warm your body temperature is, they usually snuggle right up next to you like a little puppy.

Edit 2:
With all that said, I would never keep a snake as a pet. Just not my style.
 

cbroad

Omono
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Wrangling wild snakes is great fun for me, and I greatly appreciate them.

Its like catch and release fishing, but snakes and bare hands, haha!
Haha I know exactly what you mean, I literally can't help picking them up when I find them while working, the bigger the snake the better; it must be primal or something...:oops:

My boss is deathly afraid and he jumps at the sight of a 5" worm snake...! I found a 2-2.5' copperhead while working at their neighbor's house, and had to plead with the other guy to not shovel it's head off. Crazy I know, but I picked it up and put it in a leaf bag and put it in the woods. The snake was pretty docile and just wanted to hide, it was actually really sluggish.

Got a pic of it:
IMG_20180626_131854254.jpg


would never keep a snake as a pet. Just not my style.
I like them, pretty easy to take care, I've had a corn snake for the last 12 years
 

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
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Haha I know exactly what you mean, I literally can't help picking them up when I find them while working, the bigger the snake the better; it must be primal or something...:oops:

My boss is deathly afraid and he jumps at the sight of a 5" worm snake...! I found a 2-2.5' copperhead while working at their neighbor's house, and had to plead with the other guy to not shovel it's head off. Crazy I know, but I picked it up and put it in a leaf bag and put it in the woods. The snake was pretty docile and just wanted to hide, it was actually really sluggish.

Got a pic of it:
View attachment 268252



I like them, pretty easy to take care, I've had a corn snake for the last 12 years
I think in most places, its illegal to kill snakes.

My buddy has a black rat snake that he thought was a corn snake when it was young....he saved it from a large spider web in the bottom of a deep concrete stairwell.
The snake was thinner than a pencil when he found it tangled in the web.
That was almost 10 years ago.
Today it's close to 6 feet.....and clearly not a corn snake.
 

just.wing.it

Deadwood Head
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Haha I know exactly what you mean, I literally can't help picking them up when I find them while working, the bigger the snake the better; it must be primal or something...:oops:

My boss is deathly afraid and he jumps at the sight of a 5" worm snake...! I found a 2-2.5' copperhead while working at their neighbor's house, and had to plead with the other guy to not shovel it's head off. Crazy I know, but I picked it up and put it in a leaf bag and put it in the woods. The snake was pretty docile and just wanted to hide, it was actually really sluggish.

Got a pic of it:
View attachment 268252



I like them, pretty easy to take care, I've had a corn snake for the last 12 years
That also reminds me of a story my buddy told me, about his friend from work.
He said one day his buddy came in bragging about how he killed a snake with a shovel that was blocking him and his wife getting into their house. (Lol!)
My buddy just walked away shaking his head.
Then about a week later, my buddy had to explain to him why he had a sudden rodent problem at his house..... after the guy was complaining about it without connecting the dots at all.

Some people......what can ya do....
 
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