Prairie dogs have a bad reputation, and this is why:
The foreground shows a nice stand of native grasses and flowers–see the last few purple asters of the season? A little prairie dog town starts where the grasses stop, and the land is stripped to nubbins of grass and bare earth. That big dark green plant growing on bare earth is an alien species of thistle that nothing eats, so it looks as though the prairie dogs remove good grasses and grow noxious weeds. No one wants these rodents... Read Full Story
I spent half an hour in a prairie dog town a few days ago. The prairie dogs are out of hibernation and wary as ever. I have to photograph them from inside the car, because they don’t register cars as a threat. I thought I could use a tripod outside the window while I stayed inside, but the prairie dogs weren’t having any of it.
Then one took a wrong turn underground and popped out a hole fifteen feet away. It looked left,
it looked right,
and then it looked straight at my... Read Full Story
I spent some time in a prairie dog towns both Monday and Wednesday, and the whole time I was there a sentinel dog kept his eye on me.
This prairie dog was looking out of the hole that was closest to me. It barely moved the whole time I was there–both times. The prairie dogs that came out of their holes were the ones that were farthest from me.
This shows the general situation: the prairie dogs are putting on fat for winter, and they are stuffing food into their mouths as fast... Read Full Story
This post has little to do with writing, websites, or anything else related to my internet activities. Instead it's a little glimpse into my family. My family loves animals, that's obvious to anyone who visits our house within a very short time. Monday of this week the menagie consisted of 2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 goats, 2 rabbits, 3 fish, a bantam hen, and a gecko. Notice that I said Monday because it's changed. On Wenesday my dad stopped by the Paris Farmer's Union and ordered chicks. In late May... Read Full Story
In Colorado, many people hate prairie dogs. Since they are easy to poison, the acreage tunnelled by prairie dogs is estimated to be about 2% of what it used to be: 98% (or more) of the prairie dogs have already been removed. Prairie dog tunnels provides homes for burrowing owls, rabbits, tortoises, and many other species. Since prairie dogs are prey, their eradication has been a problem for predators like kit foxes, eagles, hawks, and literally dozens of other animals who relied on their... Read Full Story
We know that the beavers moved in because of their nighttime handiwork. and it’s pretty easy to see where they’re staying. It’s a streamside burrow with two entrances that they live in until they build their dam, fill their pond and build a lodge. It’s their starter home. The main entrance is right in front of you, made of peeled branches woven together. The other side of the same pile shows a second entrance, while the beaver’s backdoor route is all the way over by the pile of peeled... Read Full Story
A pair of beavers started engineering this area this spring. This is the view from one end of their clearing
and this is their clearing from the other end.
Without exception, all of the cottonwoods have been cut to fall at right angles to the river. I think at least 30 big trees–between one and two feet in diameter–have been cut here. There are hundreds of little trees gone, but you don’t notice them because they are taken away.
When they cut big trees, it’s a multi-step... Read Full Story
You may recall the little horse that was caught in deep snow and starving. Suzy snowshoed miles a day to bring hay to this animal, saving its life. In the last installment, the Indian who owned Thankful was sort of mean about the fact that someone else fed his horse all winter. I thought Suzy should have been given the horse, so I called the guy a big poop. But I’m wrong.
All winter, I wanted something from that creature. I wanted pictures. I wanted her to come to me when I brought... Read Full Story
Today was a very bad day! I think I knew something was up, but it was too late.....Mom grabbed me and put me in my cat carrier, and put me in the car. I started hyperventilating, crying, and shrieking really loud, and if you heard it, you would not have believed such loud sounds could come out of such a small Jelly Bean! We were off to the vet's office. At first I waited in my box in that little room, waiting for Dr. Staph. I was shaking so hard that my Mom took me out of the box and held me... Read Full Story
I think I mentioned that Daddy Len is a pilot. Well, he just got back from Mexico and boy did he have a story for me! I was SUPER excited when he told me that he saw a swarm of killer bees.....well, they may or may not have been killer bees, but at least I got your attention! I am not sure if bees are considered animal friends of mine or not.....but I am sure I would not like to get stung! Daddy Len had parked his plane at the gate in Mexico City, and he glanced at the plane parked next to... Read Full Story
