Post 103

In the middle of the City of Sacramento, we have so many critters!  The night varmints are not on my good list.  My dogs have been skunked multiple times, and attacked by raccoon sending them to emergency vets in the middle of the night! Poor dogs!

Raccoon footprints at the park, they can open most anything with those hands! 

Post 93

Wild Turkeys? Driving down the street today about a half a block away I saw some very large birds and thought what the heck are those? A closer look they were a pair of wild turkeys! I don't think I have seen turkeys in the neighborhood before! They looked very much like these guys but were very skinny. Didn't look like a Thanksgiving Turkey for sure! Be well... Tj

Post 86

My original intent of this blog was to portray a piece of everyday life in my little corner of the world. I failed at that... I think because I tried to hard, to find different interesting things to post. I wanted grand things, and overlooked the tiny miracles that make up every day. So, back to the drawing board! Today, February 19, 2011... the first day of a new daily small details of this wonderful neighborhood I call home. Here today the sky is mostly cloudy, the trees are bare, the neighborhood is quiet. Snow levels are really low so it's cold! I see a Scrub Jay out my window. Be well... Tj.

Post 79

We have a hawk living in the treetops. I thought it was a red tail hawk, but doing some research and listening to their call I think it is actually a red shouldered hawk. I haven't caught it with my camera yet, hopefully soon.

Red shouldered hawk: A loud, screaming "kee yar" dropping in pitch, typically uttered 2-4 times. Red-shouldered hawks are quite vocal (blue jays frequently mimic their call), especially during spring courtship.

Red tail hawk: Often described as a scream, resembles a long, wheezy "kkeeeeer." Used on television, regularly dubbed over as the sound of an eagle or vulture.

What bird website you can listen to the different voices. Here is a photo of a Red Shouldered Hawk from Wikipedia.

Beautiful bird, I love hearing it call... Kee yar kee yar kee yar kee yar... be well... Tj.

Post 78

Last night I was letting my dog out for his last "outside time" of the night, and I have been looking around before I let him out so there aren't any surprises or animals to chase... and sure enough. My cat had not eaten all of his food from the morning, and there was a baby possum up on the table eating the left overs! He was actually kind of cute... yes I said that, a possum was cute. He was about the size of a rat. It took me a while to chase him off, but he finally left. I dumped the cat food. I am sure that my cat had not eaten because he's eating the food the crazy cat lady leaves out. She is a whole different story. We have a lady that comes around and leaves food out for the feral cats whose population has grown in the last year or so... I'm sure because she is feeding them. More on that later.... until next time. Tj.

Post 77

Last evening I was discussing all the different critters we have in our neighborhood with a friend who lives in Folsom. She was quite surprised the variety since I live down town. You wouldn't think we would have a vast wildlife in the middle of the city. But we do! I told her that I hadn't seen a skunk or raccoon in a while. Well I spoke too soon! I didn't see the skunk last night but the scent waffling in my window was pretty obvious, there was a skunk out there and pretty close too my eyes were burning! Good thing the dogs were in the house. Then when I went to bed I heard rustling around in the back yard. And there out my window was a baby raccoon up in the tree. I went to get my camera but I couldn't see him by the time I got back, I could still hear him in the tree but couldn't see. He looked very much like this photo. Funny enough neither the skunks or raccoons bother me, in fact I think they are kind of cute. Not like the possum…. They just creep me out! Until next time… Tj.

Post 74

I am really not keeping up with this blog. For anyone who reads it I so apologize!! There was a Summer Youth Fair in the park last weekend, it looked like it was well attended, it was on Saturday and I was busy with Second Saturday so I didn't get a chance to go down. It is the beginning of festival season in the park and I am looking forward to it!


We have had some visitors the last week, I shot this photo on our back porch. Gives me chills just looking at it... possums! They are really creepy, at least I think they are. Like big giant rats! Anyway, this was the first to visit us. I saw another 2 nights later and then last night there were 2 in our yard. They were hissing and growling at each other. Of all the critters we have in our neighborhood these I could do without. This one is all ratty and torn up too... ick!


Until next time, be well. Tj.