Water Snake

Water snakes mating, Mendon, MA, and second image, Oliver Mill Park, Middleboro, MA

Our native snakes occupy a wide range of habitats, including: fields, forests, wetlands, ponds, lakes, streams, rocky hillsides, farmland, vacant lots and residential neighborhoods. Within those habitats, snakes may travel along the ground, swim, climb trees and bushes, and venture below ground. Although some snakes do burrow, most “snake holes” are produced by chipmunks, mice, shrews and other small mammals. Many snakes utilize these burrows for food, shelter and egg laying sites, but most species don’t dig holes.

 

Fox with pup, North Dighton, MA

Fox gave birth to 8 pups in the area of our back yard. This is one of many videos. This pup was the most active of all. 

For the full video, look here, you won’t be disappointed.

The second video shows, even at this early stage of life, competition for food is paramount. A small farm about a mile from us, surrounded by a fence, has one less guinea fowl hen. Apparently the vixen did a little hunting for the pups.  Watch how the pup seems to have control of the situation but not for long, seems like a bit of trickery going on here.

 

 

Training Day

Below, video shows Mom, with a small bird, apparently a quail. Mom buries the critter near the den to teach the pups some hunt and gathering skills.

Hummingbird Moth

Gentlemen, the only way to achieve the impossible, is to believe it’s possible.

One most delightful insect visitors to our garden is the hummingbird moth. Every year we look forward to them in our Hostas