... but we didn't... nowadays we wouldn't trade 'em for a million bucks (although, no one has yet to make an offer)...
... besides, he's a favorite of the local bird population - these photos are from back in May of this year - that female Northern Cardinal was well into a better than week long relentless stalking - dawn to dusk...
... designated 'Banshee' - we figured she had good reason after we found several feathers lying about that we ID'ed as remnant to a Cardinal fledgling...
... he's a fan of the 'Tornados' as well...
(You Tube video)
... this is his favorite tune - he'll only set and listen with his back to the speakers and ears wheeled to the rear - we figure that must produce the best feline acoustics...
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... a good time of year to encounter some local 'Chicken of the Woods' mushrooms...
... this was a pretty large one... edible - supposed to taste like chicken when done right (we've never tried one)...
(You Tube video)
... this guy does a pretty good presentation for those interested...
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... finally...
... just in time for the holidays - photographed this female 'Pumpkin Spider' (aka: Marbled Orb-Weaver) creekside while fishing a local stream last weekend... "can frequently be found along the banks of streams"... pretty cool...
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... honorable mention...
(photos: allaboutbirds.org)
... not very often encountered... unexpectedly flushed a roosting 'Wilson's Snipe' while hiking along a boggy creek bottom last weekend... not our photos - that guy was gone in two seconds... mentioning it only because everyone growing up in these parts was taken on an obligatory "snipe hunt" at some point in time while growing up - always by a bunch of "older guys" - they'd take ya' out in the woods well after dark and leave ya' standing alone with an open brown paper bag at your feet and a flashlight to shine on the bag opening to attract the "snipe" while they went off 'en masse' to "drive the snipe" to ya' (they in fact just left ya') - you were to quickly cinch the bag and capture the fleeing "snipe" after he flew into the bag... we're proud to say that we were suspicious from the get go and hung out for only about five minutes before we booked (it was typically some spooky spot deep in the woods anyway and we're about ten years old) and actually beat the guys back to where we originally assembled and was setting there when they returned hootin' and howlin'... we sure couldn't wait to be a part of the group to take the next unwitting imbecile out, however...
