Thursday, July 31, 2025
The main reason I like having bird feeders in the backyard is simple - I enjoy looking at and listening to the birds and animals that stop by to grab a free bite to eat. In the summer, for example, a typical day will features sparrows, house finches, cardinals, mourning doves, and squirrels.
Over the years I've also been treated to some more "exotic" urban wildlife, usually at dusk or at night. Skunks were regulars until my current landlord modified the area where I'm pretty sure they denned in the winter, under the back porch, and I've also watched possums and raccoons back there.
Having said all of that, it still took me a moment this afternoon when I looked out the window and saw this guy chomping on the earn of corn suspended from the Squirrel-Fit bungee - my initial reaction was "Damn that's a huge squirrel!"
(Yes, I know it's a woodchuck. But I've never seen a woodchuck in my neighborhood before, though there are a few places with half a mile or so from here that 'chucks could probably live pretty comfortably.)
He was pretty skittish but did stick around for a while before disappearing while I was away from the window. Will he be back? Only time will tell.
(I was originally planning to run the Bad Blood 5k over at Siena College this evening but ended up skipping it because I was very tired this afternoon... if I'd followed through on my original plan, I would have been getting ready to leave when 'Chuck was in the backyard and probably would have missed him. So I guess it turned out ok after all.)
