The Wise Froglet

   If you watch the wild animals that live around you, it becomes apparent that it takes a lot of wit to survive.  Every day, there is a battle to find food and stay safe.  In a sense, it is a never-ending battle.  To my way of thinking, critters are a lot smarter than most people think.  Humans are always touted as "the smartest" or "wisest" but once you get to really studying the lives of critters, you will see that...well...that is probably just not so.  Humans may be smarter in some instances but animals have us beat in many ways.  Not many folks would ever stand a chance of survival in the wild.

  This morning, I was watching as a box turtle slid into the Frog Pond.  She does so daily as she is hunting tadpoles to fill her belly.  There has been competition in the pond lately as a water snake is in the same search.  The defenseless tadpoles seem to be the underdogs in this pond life.  They are soft and squishy with no defense mechanisms going for them whereas the snake and the turtle are stronger, faster and better protected.  I am starting to feel sorry for the tadpoles.  It seems that my once billion or so frogs are fast dwindling to predators.

  As soon as the turtle slid into the pond to forage beneath the waterlilies, a slight movement on the far side of the pond caught my eye.  One tiny froglet had climbed out of the water and slowly made its way up the stem of a Mexican Petunia  (Ruellia Simplex).  I shifted my position to get a better look at the tiny frog.  The little one was still morphing from being a tadpole as it had a tiny tail.  Even at that wee age, the frog knew it had to vacate the pond to escape being eaten.  It sought the supposed safety of land versus the dangerous water.  Little did it know that now it had other predators to fear.  Cats, coons, snakes, birds, lizards, other frogs and many other critters would be on the lookout for an easy meal.  Poor little froglet would have to learn how to hide and learn that art quickly. 

  Being a frog for only minutes, the little critter was already pretty smart.  After sunning for a brief time, it carefully made its way to the blackberry vines.  It clung to the bottom of a leaf in the midst of a veritable fortress of thorns.  The little frog could gain strength here and perhaps even catch a few tiny flies that were visiting the (past prime) berries.  Hopefully, the froglet will stay safe and that circle of life can continue.  In the meantime, a lot of its siblings were being chased relentlessly in the pond.  Life in the wild is not easy....critters have to be smart.  Good luck, tiny froglet!  You are going to need it.  I wish you well.

World's Laziest Hunter!

   Bat, the cat, is coming into his own now.  He is still technically a kitten as he is not even a year old but he thinks he has the power of a mountain lion.  He thinks that...until one particular feral cat puts him in his place.  That cat is a bit larger and a bit more "street wise".  He has been around the block and can take care of himself.  Bat, being the young whippersnapper he is, torments the older cats until they finally smack him.  I have no problem with that as they have to all live around here and should have a pecking order.  Bat, being the youngest and the newcomer, is on the lowest rung of that order.  Still, he is doing well adjusting to life as it is.  I actually did not have much confidence in his ability to do much more than be a nuisance until today.  Today changed that opinion.  I hope there are many more todays for that cat.

  I was moving sacks of concrete from the front of the house to the shed when I noticed Bat stalking something by the canebrake.  I thought the silly cat was chasing another butterfly or perhaps another bee.  The butterfly flitted away but the bee was caught and immediately released.  Bat had a swollen lip for a day, afterwards.  Suddenly, Bat started flipping something up in the air.  THAT was not bug!  Time to investigate!

  To my surprise, Bat finally made a true catch!  Although not a rat, it was close enough to be promising.  The cat had caught a shrew.  Normally, I do not look as shrews as pests but if this catch can entice Bat to catch some of the rice rats that have moved into the shed and greenhouse, I was willing to let him have the critter.  I watched as he played with it for a bit.  Then, he plopped to the ground and simply batted his prey.  One paw would slowly pat the shrew a bit before Bat appeared to be going to take a nap.  Oh, geez!  Most animals would be fired up after catching their prey.  Not Bat.  He is the world's laziest hunter!  Nap time!

A Mullet Is Better Than A Snake!

   Early this morning, I was out hauling the hurricane debris mulch that I had cut yesterday.  This stuff is grand for the gardens and it is free for the taking!  I pushed that wheelbarrow up the hill so many times that my legs ache this evening!  It was during one of the "raking times" that I heard quite the ruckus going on near the pier.  Two ospreys appeared to be scuffling over one prey.  Obviously, one osprey made a catch and the other wanted it.  The battle went on even as they flew toward the woods.  I was surprised to see that the source of interest was actually a snake!  Ospreys usually prefer to eat fish.  

  Later in the day, I actually managed to photograph an osprey with its catch.  The bird sat on a pier post devouring a mullet.  It was funny because the osprey decided that I was not a threat and actually finished its feast before flying off to the back of the Bayou.  It was taking no chances with this meal!

Not Today, Buddy!

  Physical therapy in the gardens has to be the best way.  Strengthening those muscles along with fresh air cannot be wrong.  Plus, I get to watch the critters that visit.  Early this morning, I was captivated by a grasshopper, of all things.  While I hoisted weights, the grasshopper basked in the sunshine.  The grasshopper seemed to not have a care in the world and, for a while, I agreed with him.  As far as I could see, the critter was enjoying life to its fullest but that changed within a snap.  Danger lurked in the mimosa tree!  The grasshopper was unaware that he was in a predator's sight.  He lingered on unaware.

 A flash of red told me that my friend, the cardinal, was searching for breakfast.  Each morning, I set out seed for the family of cardinals.  The male always comes first to make sure it is safe before calling his family in to feast.  This morning, however, the cardinal had his eye on the grasshopper!  I was torn between letting the bird catch the insect or helping the bug escape.  Either way, there would be a loser.  Was it to be the bird's breakfast or the bug's life.  Nature will be nature so I refrained from scooting the grasshopper under the ginger plants.  We would just have to see how this played out if I was to be neutral.  "Let nature take its course" has always been a difficult task for me to follow but...I lifted weights and watched.  The drama that was to be never unfolded.  The bird was distracted by another male cardinal and they went chasing each other in a territorial battle.  The grasshopper was safe for the time being.

  It has long been thought by most folks that Northern Cardinals only eat seeds.  Their thick bills do lend themselves to cracking the shells but about 30% of their diet is made up of insects.  They will often take moths, katydids, flies, spiders and, yes, grasshoppers as tasty treats.  In fact, the parent birds feed their nestlings on mostly a diet of insects. So, had it not been distracted, the cardinal would have made short work of my grasshopper friend!

  

The Marsh Is Not Safe!

  Camouflage is a good thing when you are a young critter...or, well, any critter...but particularly when you are young and defenseless.  It can mean the difference between life and death.  On the Bayou, there are many predators all wanting a meal.  Some are bold and brazen while others are cunning and quiet.  To my way of thinking, those quiet, sneaky ones are the worst.  They lie in wait and then pounce when their prey is least suspecting.   But, since most predators hunt by seeing movement, the camouflage can save many, many lives.

  My hike started before dawn and eventually brought me to the pier once the eastern sky started to brighten.  With the first step on the pier, a wave of suspense came over me.  Something, somewhere was watching me.  I could feel it.  In fact, it was enough to stop me in my tracks.  Not knowing what was in the marsh or in the trees overhead, the need to be cautious was ever present.  One thing that Pop taught me was to stop and search the area if I felt uneasy about my path.  If this was some predator that could harm me, I wanted to find it so I would know how to address the situation.

  

  It took only a few moments before I could give a sigh of relief.  To my left, there was an old board in the marsh and on that board was a sweet little mourning dove.  The bird was a juvenile and was not sure of itself.  The little tyke was semi-camouflaged but was still in danger.  It had chosen a very precarious spot to spend the night.  Predators prowl the marshes constantly so it is a wonder that the little bird had not already been spotted.  Perhaps it had sought protection from a hawk and thought the marsh was a good spot.  

  Just yesterday, I came across a rather large tuft of white feathers and instantly realized that one of my songbirds had fallen prey to either the large owl during the night or a hawk earlier in the day.  The little dove this morning could have witnessed the brutality that had occurred and took refuge in the marsh.  I could not help but give the little bird a bit of advice.  "Little One!  The marsh is not safe. Scoot yourself up to the jasmine vines or roses as you will be safe there!"  Maybe it will listen...maybe not.  Good luck, Little Dove.

Just When You Thought It Safe To Go Out The Back Door!

  Sometimes, it takes a tragedy for us to see beauty.  Last evening, I headed out to the compost pile to discard the scraps of the day's meals.  Several baby raccoons visit the heap each night to feast upon our leftovers.  Tossing the scraps not only helps to clean the kitchen, it also feeds some of my bayou friends.  This has become the nightly ritual of house cleaning!

  It was on the way back into the house that I noticed another friend in distress.  A bright red spider had fallen from above the door and down to the back porch floor.  The lovely creature was clearly not doing too well but I could see no sign of injury.  The poor thing writhed in agony as I watched.  Then, as if on cue, a small black wasp flew in and attempted to show me who was boss.  No, it did not sting but rather tried to intimidate me by getting in my face.  Hmmph!  Sorry, wasp. I was more interested in the spider.  

  The wasp settled down and soon showed me why it was so upset with my presence.  The wasp had obviously stung the spider and was attempting to carry it off to its nest.  The wasp was a ground wasp that needed the spider as food for its upcoming offspring.  The wasp, being much smaller than its prey, tugged and tugged at the huge spider.  Finally, it made progress and soon disappeared over the edge of the porch floor.  The show had ended for the evening.

  The spider was one of the many orb weavers that inhabit the area.  This one was called a Cross Spider and for good reason.  The white markings on its abdomen were almost the perfect replica of a highly ornate cross!  What a thing of beauty!  Another fact noticed was that the abdomen was quite swollen. This spider was gravid!  Well, that saddened me to no end.  No baby spiders would be roaming the place any time soon.

  The wasp, on the other hand, was a small black wasp.  Yep...it was actually called (for the lack of a better name) a Small Black Wasp by an "knowledgeable" insect identifier group.  Hmmm..well, I could have identified it as that had I only used my head.  It was small and it was black.  So...Small Black Wasp, it is.  These wasps are ground wasps meaning they dig holes in the ground to use as nests.  The female wasp hunts spiders to sting and paralyze.  She, then, hauls the spider to the her hole and proceeds to shove the spider down into one of the several cells. She pokes the spider into a cell then lays an egg near it before capping off that cell.  Keep in mind, the spider is not dead.  It is merely paralyzed so it will not decay before the wasp egg hatches.  The wasp larvae will begin to eat the spider while it is still alive.  

  That circle of life takes a funky turn with these two.  In the current case, the wasp managed to overpower the spider.  That made the wasp the predator.  However, it could have been just the opposite.  Had the wasp been caught in the spider's web, a different scenario would have taken place.  The spider would have eaten the wasp and it would have nourished her eggs.  The baby spiders would have been born.

  It just goes to show that you never know what is happening just outside the back door.  Predators of all sizes and shapes can be lurking directly above your head or below your feet!  Take a look outside!  Things are interesting!

Face To Face WIth The Predator!

  There is one thing that is always holds true here on the Bayou.  You can always depend on something to catch your interest.  While it may not be something that you enjoy, it will be interesting.   Today's bit of (morbid) entertainment came around noontime.  I was cooking lunch when a strange noise alerted me that something not-so-nice was happening in the back yard.  Since we recently lost an entire nest of baby birds to some marauder, I figured that I had better investigate this call for help.

  As I quietly slipped out the back door and down the back steps, I had no idea that I would literally come face to face with a predator.  A snake was sort of precariously dangling from the top of the shed.  The twisting and torquing of the body told me that this snake was the cause but not the source of the noise.  The snake was in the process of trying to swallow a green tree frog.  This was a juvenile gray rat snake that was probably only about 15 inches in length and maybe a half inch thick.  The frog was a normal sized tree frog.  Even though the snake had quite a good grip on the frog, the frog was doing its best to escape.  One of the escape tactics the frog was employing was to inflate its body to nearly twice its normal size.  This indeed was helping as the snake was having a difficult time swallowing such a round object.  The squeaking sound that I heard was the frog being squeezed by the snake's jaws.

  My first instinct was to help the poor, doomed frog but, at the urging of Son, I had promised to stop interfering with nature.  "You have to let things happen, Mom."  So, I got to pondering about that snake and that frog.  I was not there to protect the insects that the frog ate before it met up with the snake so I should not protect the frog just because the snake needs a meal.  Plus, I really like rat snakes and this little one would have a doozy of a time trying to catch anything larger than the frog.  Given time, the snake will grow and move onto larger prey.  Perhaps it will clear out the shed of any rats or maybe catch a few of the squirrels that are devouring the peaches.  Any which way, the snake had his meal and I had the opportunity to learn a bit more about snakes and frogs.  Oh, and about the baby birds mentioned earlier, that dirty deed was definitely NOT done by this little rat snake.  Snakes swallow their prey whole....lets just leave it at that.

Camouflage...It Serves Well

  Some critters depend on camouflage to protect them from the many predators that roam the Bayou.  Sometimes, a critter is too small to put up much of a fight against larger critters.  Sometimes, they lack "weapons" (claws, fangs etc.) to defend themselves.  If that flight mode is not the best move, freeze mode has to kick in.  More oft than not, the predator depends on movement to find its prey and if the freeze mode comes into play, camouflage serves well.  Being well camouflaged and as still as a church mouse, can mean the difference between life and death.

  This afternoon, the "freeze mode" was not necessary as I am not considered to be a predator to any of the critters that see me out and about.  They know that I mean no harm so they go about their business without worry.  A small sparrow busied itself near the palmetto clump while i was just a few feet away.  While the bird made no effort to conceal itself, I had to marvel at how well it blended with the background. Movement would be the only giveaway that the tiny bird was in the area.  For now, the bird could scratch in search of food without a care in the world.  Hopefully, it will always be that way but life is rough and the bird has to be wary.  Good luck. Little Friend, good luck.

  

A Battle For Life

  Sometimes life on the Bayou is not easy.  The critters here are in a constant battle for survival and it truly is the fittest that wins.  The stronger, braver and more cunning a critter is, the more it will get to eat.  It is evident that the weak will not survive long and if they do, it will be a struggle.

  This morning, I headed out the back door to do a bit of yard work.  Armed with a weed-trimmer, mower and snips, I was ready to tackle this rain-forest we used to call a yard.  Ducking under the peach tree, I plugged the trimmer cord into the outlet only to find that I had a large critter crawling up my arm.  Silly mantis!  I am not prey!  Gingerly, I set him on the workbench so I could continue my chores.  It did not take long before I realized that the chores would be postponed for a bit.  I had inadvertently set the praying mantis on the same board as a katydid.  The battle for life ensued and things did not bode well for the katydid.  A praying mantis is a formidable predator with a voracious appetite and the katydid looked mighty fine as a meal.  

  It became apparent that the katydid immediately realized that it was in extreme danger even though the two critters were not too much different in size.  Instead of fleeing, however, the katydid froze.  Normally, this defense would be somewhat effective if the katydid was on a plant and its natural camouflage could hide it but in the openness of the workbench, freezing just gave the mantis more of an opportunity to stalk the katydid.  At first, the mantis swayed back and forth in a gentle motion.  Then, it eased forward a bit.  The katydid stayed motionless.  Again, the mantis eased forward but slipped off the edge of the board to become almost hidden from view.  The mantis was sneaking up on the katydid!!!  Closer, closer...ever closer but so very slowly did the mantis creep. 

  Then, up on top of the board again and face to face with the katydid!  The mantis was about to dine upon the katydid!  As the mantis made its final lunge at the katydid, everything changed.  The katydid did a flying leap off of the workbench and into the grass below!  At first the mantis seemed confused that it did not have the other critter in a death grip!  However, it did not take long before the mantis spied the katydid just a few feet below and it, too, jumped off of the bench to the ground.  The chase was still on but this time, the katydid was more active about escaping.  The freeze method had not worked and almost made the katydid lose its life so now it was scrambling toward cover.

  This time, the praying mantis did not win.  The katydid escaped into the marigolds and the praying mantis slowly eased its way under the fig leaves for a wren family had made its way to the garden to hunt for breakfast.  Either of the insects would have been a prime target for the wrens.  Me?  I was late getting started with that yard work and had to hustle!  Too much time was spent dawdling as I watched the struggle for life.  Time to work! The battle between critters would just have to take place without me!

Neighborhood Watch Program

  In the critter world, it is more common that one ignores the other unless one is larger and is hungry.  Then, both become quite aware of the other's presence.  Most critters are not busybodies that have to be prying in their neighbor's business.  They just go their separate ways and live life.  However, there is a network of "Neighborhood Watch" participants that keep everyone informed of the happenings of the Bayou.

  The other afternoon, a cacophony of bird calls led me to believe that something was amiss.  I eased my self out the front door and listened intently to the calls.  By now, a few squirrels had joined in on the party.  The center of interest was a tall black gum tree near the edge of the property.  A mama squirrel had made a rather large nest in the tree and had her little ones safe and secure...or so she thought.  Since this nest is far up in the tree, the intruder was one of two things...a hawk or a snake.  I was betting on the latter.  By the time I made my way to the base of the tree, neither could be found.  Only a dozen or so assorted birds were curiously eyeing the squirrel's nest.  The onlookers were still yelling at the snake but it was too late.  Mama Squirrel was frozen in fear and was not even attempting to give battle to the serpent that was performing the foul deed.

  Lately, we have a lot of rat snakes living in the area.  They are making a clean sweep of the squirrels' nests and even a few of the birds' nests, as well.  While I hate to think of the little ones becoming prey, Son reminds me that I should let "nature take its course".  I love having the rat snakes in the yard to keep the mice, rats and voles in check so I have to turn a deaf ear to the "Neighborhood Watch" team when they send out the alarm.  There is no filtering out what is fair game for the snakes.

Scared Stiff!

  Early this morning while I was outside painting the new screen doors, I heard a familiar sort of "cackle".  Ahh, yes, Friend Hawk was visiting.  It stands to reason that the hawk would be nearby because I had filled the squirrel...uh..bird feeders yesterday and a good dozen or so squirrels were munching the sunflower seeds.  Occasionally, a bird would get a chance to grab a morsel but, more oft than not, the squirrels would chase the birds.  A few birds had gotten smart and were searching the ground under the feeders for errant seeds from the squirrels' foraging.  (Squirrels are not the neatest diners.)  One smart bird was the Red-bellied Woodpecker.  The bird would hunt for a seed on the ground then poke it in a hole in the post to crack it.  

  Not only was the bird smart for finding food in this way, it was far wiser in another way.  As I heard the hawk cry, I turned to check the feeders.  I really did not want to have set the doves up for an easy massacre even though I love the little Cooper's Hawk.  Let that hawk catch a squirrel!  We have far too many of those rascally rodents.

  Nope, there was nary a bird in the feeder nor on the ground.  Even the squirrels had scampered to safety.  The only bird near the feeders was that woodpecker and it was playing it safe.  The hawk was on the south side of the feeders in an oak tree.  The woodpecker was on the north side of the post and was being as still and quiet as a church mouse.  I watched as the bird hunkered down close to the feeder's post.  Hmm?  I eased my way down the board path toward the feeder.  This movement made the hawk a bit skittish and it flew back toward the canebrake.  The woodpecker, however, was not moving a muscle!  It was scared stiff...or just being overly cautious.  If the technique worked against a hawk, perhaps it would work against this intruder (me), as well!

  I decided to let the woodpecker be and headed back to my painting.  After a bit, there was a bit of a skirmish in the feeders as the squirrels had returned and the woodpecker tried to chase them!  Smart bird.

Youngster at Work

  It is a common sight to see the large herons stalking fish along the shorelines, here on the Bayou.  The Great Blue Herons stand in the edge of the marsh or wade belly-deep into the waters to catch their breakfast.  This morning, one leisurely strolled along in ankle-deep waters as it fished.  The bird noticed me as I made my way down the pier but made no effort to flee.  I am near the water just as much as they are so the critters of the Bayou have no fear of me.  This bird is a youngster that was hatched two springs ago.  It never left the area and seems to be doing fine for itself. 

  Most folks think that the herons only dine upon fish.  While that seems to be their preferred diet, these birds will often visit fields and bogs where they will feast upon frogs, insects and rodents.  Anything is fair-game when it comes to their dining pleasure.  The herons will even go so far as to raid other birds' nests to eat the eggs or hatchlings.  But, back to fish, the herons wade along slowly waiting for fish to gather near.  They sometimes stand nigh on motionless for quite a spell before finally making the swift strike.  Herons usually go for the smaller minnows and baby mullet but occasionally literally "stab" a much larger fish.  The small fish are snatched up with lightning speed but the larger ones are speared.  This "spearfishing" utilizes their dagger-like beak. Once a fish is impaled, the heron will shake it to stun the fish before swallowing it whole.  

  Watching the herons along the Bayou never bores me.  Their fishing techniques are quite different than other shorebirds.  The stalking, snatching or spearfishing methods are rather unique and make for interesting viewing from my perfect spot on the pier.  

Like a Sitting Duck

  Life on the Bayou can be perilous at times.  There are always predators on the prowl looking for an easy meal.  It is a wise move to take precaution and be alert.  I feel more at ease with the old dog on my hikes as one never knows what might be just around the bend.  Several times before PJ came to stay with us, I walked up on coyotes and once a bobcat.  I was fortunate that these potential predators were curious but not vicious.  They kept their distance as did I.  Plus, the alligators. cottonmouths and snapping turtles can give nasty bites given a chance so it just pays to be wary at all times.  

  Not all predators are easily evaded, though.  This afternoon, the tide was low..so low that the mudflats were fully exposed.  Tiny rivulets were all that connected one shallow tide pool to another.  More oft than not, these rivulets were formed by a snake that had slithered across the mudflats in search of a quick meal.  The shallow tide pools were mere puddles in the mud.  These were not fit for any living critter but were, indeed, housing thousands of minnows.  The small bull minnows had become trapped by the falling tide and did not make it to deeper water.  They were stranded.  

  The stranded minnows were like sitting ducks.  Any predator seeking that noontime meal had easy pickings.  While I was watching the minnows frantically trying to skim across the mud to the next puddle, a small garter snake came out of the marsh and wiggled its way to the first puddle.  It was no hard task for the garter snake to catch a minnow....then another...and another. Watching the garter snake feast made me think of how easy it would be for a heron or egret to eat its fill from the very same puddles.  Raccoons, rice rats, otters, turtles, birds snakes and crabs make use of the low tide to fill their bellies.  It is a matter of survival of the fittest.  Had the minnows not lingered in the shallows, they would have been able to reach deeper waters and safety.  Now they were sitting ducks that had nowhere to go.  I started to attempt a "Catch and Release" program but, then, thought better.  Yes, it was a sure death situation (by their own doing) for the bull minnows but the other critters were able to survive merely on this mistake.  The little garter snake soon had its fill and slithered into the marsh to rest....far away from predators!

Nothing Doing!

  Nothing doing!  That is exactly how the Praying Mantis from yesterday felt about my offering of a free meal.  Nothing doing!  The mantis absolutely refused any handouts.  My offering would have pleased the critter except for one minor detail....it was dead.  Yep, that Praying Mantis was a little too uppity or, perhaps, had a too refined palate for dead bugs albeit a large dead bug.

  Actually, I should have known better than to go to the trouble.  A Praying Mantis is fully capable of catching its own supper and does not need my help but I just happened to have found a lovely dead horsefly and thought I would give it to my friend.  My efforts were spurned with an upturned nose!  A mantis prefers live prey.  It is the motion of a live bug that actually attracts the mantis in the first place not just hunger. Mantises do have voracious appetites, though!  They seek out the movement of a live bug and then stealthily await until the prey is within range.  Once a bug is deemed worthy and is near enough, the mantis pounces.  In just a split second, the mantis is feeding.  The prey never knew what hit it.  

  It makes me happy to see so many mantises wavering about the garden.  Their back and forth motion as they mimic a leaf in the wind, makes them quite difficult to see unless you are careful.  I have learned to search the plants for them before harvesting.  I would hate to inadvertently snip one in half!  They are wonderful insects to have about the place even if they are a bit persnickety about their meals!

Heartbroken

  The songbirds here on the Bayou have been having a most terrible time this spring.  What with a Screech Owl and two Rat Snakes raiding the nests of the little ones, Crows and squirrels snatching eggs as soon as they are laid and now the Cooper's Hawk murdering the adult birds, things are not looking good.  This evening just before dark, I heard a familiar sort of "clucking" noise.  Hmmm?  Where had I heard that before?  Then it dawned on me.  The Cooper's Hawk was in the yard again.  Oh, geez!  I have taken down the bird feeders for this very reason. This hawk is great at staking out a place near the feeders and then attacking when the songbirds come to feed.  But the feeders are down...and have been for some time now.  Why is the hawk still here?  I figure that it has a nest nearby and needs food for its little ones and one of my fat Mourning Doves fit the bill readily.

  I headed outside to see if I could prevent at least one murder of the slow-moving doves.  Perhaps my presence would make the hawk move to other parts.  It did not happen as planned.  Just as I stepped out the gate, I heard the soft twittering of a dove's wings as it rose from the far end of the rose garden.  Before I could even take two steps, a flash of wings and the dove was in the clutches of the hawk.  I wish I had not seen that.

  Even though I was too late, I still meandered over to where the cruel deed had been done.  A single feather floated softly down from above. My poor dove.  It seems as if the predators are winning this year and there is nothing that I can do to change that fact.  I guess I should be happy that the little ones of the predators are well fed.........I guess.  I do like the hawks.  I just do not like them eating my songbirds!

The Guard

  My morning was spent yanking out irises and day lilies.  These are to be moved to a new location because the voles have just about ruined them.  For the time being, the rhizomes will be planted in pots and kept above ground in hopes of restoring them to health.  The voles gnawed so many of the day lily roots that I have only a few left in the gardens.  In my constant battle with the voles, I figure I can at least salvage a few of the plants before those, too, are gnawed.

  While on my hands and knees digging, I heard the osprey screeching above me.  I stopped to check its position only to find it was not far away.  In the top of a dead Black Gum tree, the bird was intently watching my every move.  This sort of aggravated me.  Although I am fully aware that this bird is a fish hawk, I felt that it should be enticed by the ready supply of rodents that inhabit the garden.  "Why are you not catching these critters?" I snarled at the bird.  Once those words left my mouth, I pondered if, indeed, the osprey would eat a vole.  Hmmmm?  That is something that I need to check!  Maybe my stripping the yard of any unnecessary foliage cover would make it easier for the osprey to spy the voles!  I kept pulling rhizomes and the many weeds that were mixed in with them.  I made a mental note to check my bird reference book when I finished this chore.

  In a word, yes!  Ospreys will munch a vole if fish are not plentiful.  They rarely stray from the seafood diet but will occasionally dine upon reptiles and rodents. I have seen ospreys in flight with snakes caught in the marsh so maybe a vole would be a tasty treat as well.  Then I read where most voles that are taken as prey by ospreys are caught while the rodent is swimming.  Voles swim?  I had no idea!  I mean, yeah, perhaps they CAN swim but do they take a dip often?  Again, in a word, yes!  Voles seem to like to swim and can even dive to swim underwater if need be.  This makes them vulnerable to being munched by large fish! Woohoo!  My army is growing by the minute here!  Ospreys and fish have now joined my team!

  The osprey stayed on its perch for the rest of the morning before making a hasty fishing trip.  Once it devoured its mullet, it came back to watch my progress in the garden.  Perhaps it was eyeing the vole highways and taking note of the exit holes.  Hopefully, the osprey will pull more than guard duty and actually get into combat by grabbing a meal or two from the garden.  Voles, beware!  I am encouraging all predators to be on full alert to your whereabouts!