Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Ok, so maybe not real lions and tigers…but definitely bears and the occasional mountain lion!

One of the very cool things about living in the mountains are the types of neighbors you encounter, especially the furry and feathered variety! Some of the neighbors that have stopped by my place include squirrels (gray, black, red), chipmunks, snakes, bobcat, rabbits, wild turkeys (a bunch!), grouse, mule deer, elk, bears, and a plethora of different kinds of feathered friends.

I get huge enjoyment out of taking pictures and video of some of their antics. Wild turkey mating rituals are especially fun to watch . One memorable day I was lucky enough to witness mama bobcat teaching her young one how to hunt mice right in the natural grass in my front yard! There is some very humorous interaction among the critters that try to share my birdfeeders, everything from small sparrows to bears!

Although I’ve not actually put my eyes on any mountain lions in the neighborhood (they’re mostly nocturnal), the tracks don’t lie! Nobody has small dog pets around here…:-)

This past summer was the first time I was baffled about something. One day I found the hummingbird feeder out on the front yard–usually it hangs just in front of the slider door on the deck overlooking the front yard. Then I investigated a little further and found paw prints on the slider glass door…all of which eventually led to this very cool video opportunity–first time I ever had a neighbor come over for some sugar!