Creatures We Encounter - Episode XIV

What I love about these posts I call Creatures We Encounter is that for the most part the animals we observe are in or around our own yard. Have I ever mentioned we live in a suburban area? We could walk to the grocery store, an arcade, and an office supply store. Five restaurants are under a half mile from our home. It is suburban sprawl, which I never thought was ideal for finding fascinating creatures. I'm happy to be wrong.

Just the other day, one of my daughters and I sighted this bird from our dining room window. We quickly pulled out the binoculars and settled in to observe and possibly identify it.

We hoped the half dozen neighboring houses weren't watching us, because as we pointed the binoculars toward the trees above their houses, it completely looked like we were snooping and not bird watching...especially when I darted out the back door, pointed my camera in the direction of their houses, and snapped a few pictures of the bird.

Creatures We Encounter - Episode XIII

It all centered around the grill on the back patio during October. First our youngest discovered this critter.

After startling it in an attempt to touch its back, our boy followed it about the yard. He was determined, but unsuccessful. A lesson in agility, flight, and eluding a possible predator was experienced.

Later that month, we found this egg sac.

We soon found that momma spider was not far away.

Creatures We Encounter - Episode XII

Of course we saw many local farm animals at the fair, including the imported, but now local alpaca, which is a personal favorite of mine.

But while touring through the antique tractors and farm equipment, our children spotted this little critter. It captivated their attention almost as much as the sliding ducks.

Creatures We Encounter - Episode XI

Don't you just love when nature observations hop right across your path?

Or fly onto the arm of your rocking chair?

Or slither across the front porch?

OK, I could have done without the slug. I hate slugs! However, my little guy loved viewing the slug up close.

A Nature Walk - Summer Woods

While on the orienteering course, we inadvertently had a nature walk. It wasn't planned, but it happened none-the-less. Some of the amazing observations we had...

 

 

 

We also saw a dead vole, but I've opted to spare you that visual.

A Definite Dollar Day Deal

We've been there before, years ago for this very same deal. Just one dollar got us into a local natural history museum. It was a deal indeed!

This time around, we started with the egg collection. It is a favorite of mine as it reminds me of all the incubators and birds my Great-Grandfather had at his house. He raised a variety of birds. It was an educational trip every time we visited him. He would always take us to see what was 'new'.

While observing the eggs a museum worker brought this little guy around for visitors to see.

Next, we went into a Nature Nook room. Though there were many hands on activities in the room, one of our favorite items was this...

a pinned display of giant grasshoppers.

From the Nature Nook, we entered the special exhibit: Bugs. There were drawers full of pinned bugs, a place to make a large felt insect,

and even a stag beetle demo.

 

However, the main portion of the special exhibit was a display of larger than life bugs.

 

Each bug was hand crafted by an artist.

The details were amazing.

A side display box showed all the tools the artist used to create the larger than life bugs.

After the special exhibit, we toured the rest of the museum and ended our time within the museum at this interactive mural featuring more insects.

 

Once again, dollar days were a fabulous deal!

 

 

 

 

 

Creatures We Encounter - Episode X

They found it on an old stump in the back yard. Sitting still the cicada mesmerized them. So much so, they were inspired to create an army from found cicada shells.

Then, just a few days later we were out in the yard. It was evening time and one of the children spotted it. Another cicada, but this one was far from resting...

What a neat moment to observe one evening in our back yard!

Creatures We Encounter - Episode IX

Looking toward shore, I saw my husband and youngest son frantically waving us inward. Since a friend had recently shared her shark sighting at a nearby beach, I wasted no time gathering our three older children and heading toward dry land.

Once we reached my husband, I realized there was a different creature of interest.

Though he had a fierce grip, he was sized well enough for wonder and not fear.

{a fond moment of this day}

Looking for Loons

After our visit to the Loon Center, we took a walk around the grounds looking for loons. There were two trails available. We chose the longer one which led to multiple viewing areas including a loon nest lookout.

Perched on a rock outcrop, you can see one of the artificial nesting rafts afloat in the lake.

While we were there, it remained empty. Walking through the trail, we kept our eyes and ears alert, and separated into smaller groups. A few of us saw a loon in flight. {Sadly, I did not.}

Other finds along the trail included:

sweet, ripe wild blueberries

a tiny critter,

and a variety of mushrooms.