Ring-necked Pheasant

This is a first for Wildlife Lane....a ring-necked pheasant visiting our bird\deer feeding area.  Compliments to Bridget for grabbing the camera and taking these quick photos before he walked away.   There is more wildlife in our backyard than on the 6 mile hike I took today!!!  I think I'll stay home next time...sorry I missed his visit.

Cider's Baby Fawn

Cider's new fawn finally made an appearance!  I was able to get a quick photo....will post more later.

Our Resident Buck "Spicy"

Spicy is now approximately 15 months old.   His antlers grow at the rate of 1/2 inch per day!!  He will have a beautiful rack this year.  You can see his fawn pictures under the August and October 2009 blog posts.

Dragonfly

It's truly a dragonfly summer with 101 degree temps!!!

House Wrens - Almost Time to Leave the Nest

Our House Wrens appear to be almost fully grown.  The little ones are very near the entrance of the bird house and take their food from the parents at that location.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO3LLRU15ic

Ribbon Snake

While checking on our resident Black Rat Snake at the shed, I saw this Ribbon Snake sitting in the mugo pine tree about 4 ft away from the Black Rat Snake.  These snakes sure do like our shed area!!  Would one of my fellow bloggers please confirm and leave a comment that this is a Ribbon Snake and not a Garter Snake.  Thanks.

House Wrens

These 2 busy parents have been feeding their young for 4 or 5 days.  The second photo shows one of the parents removing bird poop from the nest box.

Black Rat Snake

This Black Rat Snake stayed on the flag stone in front of our shed all day.  It looks like it might be blind in one eye (see left and right eye photos below).   It was approximately 4-5 ft. in length.  We had a Black Rat Snake on the property last year....wonder if this is the same one?

Ring-Necked Snake (Deceased)

Discovered this Ring-Necked Snake at our garage door this morning.  We are wondering if it was left as a "gift" by one of our neighbor's cats.  We have 3 or 4 neighborhood cats who are constantly on our property looking for chipmunks and birds.....anyone have a good solution for keeping cats out of the yard????

Visiting Raccoon Enjoying some Apples for Dinner

Turkey in Early Spring

Another Visiting Hawk

Spring on Wildlife Lane

Young Fern

New growth on White Pine

Bleeding Heart (White)

Lamium "Purple Dragon"

Bleeding Heart (Red)

Lamium (Hermann's Pride/Variegated Yellow Archangel)

English Blue Bell

New Fern Beginning

Milk Snake

April 5th:  I found this Milk Snake in our garage this evening.   He is about 10-12 inches.  I was able to get him onto a piece of wood and put him on a stone wall where he slithered away.

Mating generally occurs in May, with females depositing 3-24 eggs in June and July. Eggs are deposited under rocks, boards or other debris, in rotting vegetation, stumps or logs, or small mammal burrows, and usually hatch in August and September.




Woodlands, fields, rocky hillsides and borders of wetlands provide natural habitat for milk snakes. They are also commonly found around houses, barns and outbuildings. Small mammals are the preferred prey of milk snakes, who are able to enter burrows and consume young in their nests. Milk snakes routinely eat other snakes, and may also take birds and bird eggs, frogs, fish, earthworms, slugs and insects. Primarily nocturnal, milk snakes can be found during the day under rocks, logs, or other cover. Although they are not very aggressive, milk snakes will bite and spray musk if handled.

Visitors during Winter Storm Barbara

Winter Storm Barbara fizzeled out and instead of getting 10-15 inches, Shelton only received about 4 inches as of 5PM today.   A couple of visitors came through the snowy woods for dinner.

Another Hawk Visit Today

Hawk - January 22, 2010

This is either a Cooper's Hawk or Sharp-Shinned Hawk.  They are very similar.  There were 2 near our front feeder this afternoon.  Only had a chance to get 1 photo.