Oh No...Snow!

Looks like I picked the right couple of days to leave Athens...as southeast Ohio got the first bit of snow for the year while I was gone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A few of my friends from the woods stopped by the other day to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
I'll be back in a few days with new and exciting (I hope!) photos.

Why The Possum's Tail is Bare

Ever wonder why an opossum's tail looks like it does? Click on the title of today's posting for an interesting explanation.

Mineral Block Buck

The Stealth Cam caught a couple of pretty good looks at this big guy.

3-4-5-almost 6

Squirrels, squirrels and more squirrels





There's even the tail of a 6th in this shot.

Something in a Tree, part 2

On 11/12 I posted an image of a mystery creature in a tree. Here are three more photos from the same tree. The first two are obvious (raccoon/squirrel), but I'm not sure what the third thing is. You can use the first two photos for size comparison.





Guesses? I'm leaning toward baby chipmunk.

Let's Hope the Young Twin Buck...

...grows up to look like this one!

Deer Anatomy Lesson

Many of you will already know this, but the oval area on this deer's leg is not an old wound. It is a scent gland. Deer have several of them, serving various purposes. For more information on scent glands, click on the title to today's entry


Here's a better look at the developing antlers on the male twin from yesterday's posting.

Squirrel Hunt and Deer Twins

Can you find the third squirrel in this photo? You will definitely need to click on the photo to enlarge it. Hint: Take a good look at the eye of the squirrel in the lower left corner.


The same camera caught a great photo of a pair of twins that have been hanging around recently. If you enlarge the photo, you'll see that the one on the left has the beginning of antlers on his head.

Special Edition: How To Make Horseradish

I have no interesting trail cam photos to share right now, so I'm posting the following pictures to show a couple of friends the basic process of going from fresh-dug roots to finished product.

Step 1: Dig the roots and wash off the worst of the mud/dirt.

Step 2: Scrub each root with a veggie brush.

Step 3: Cut off the crown (carefully!) with a cleaver or large knife.

Step 4: Use a potato peeler to peel the roots.

Step 5: Cut each root into small pieces.

Step 6: Place chopped roots in a blender in small batches (1-2 cups at a time, depending on the power of your blender), and add just enough vinegar to reach the top of the roots. Blend well until you have a creamy texture.

Step 7: The finished product! Fill individual containers using a slotted spoon. The spoon allows you to remove excess liquid (vinegar) before filling the containers. Refrigerate immediately or freeze.

Something in a Tree

(click on photo to enlarge) My first thought was that this is an owl, but I haven't ruled out raccoon either. Can anyone say for sure what this might (or might not) be?

Moving Day

I moved a couple of the cameras yesterday, so today's posting will just be a few last shots from the previous locations.

Squirrels and chipmunks stopped by the bird feeder.












A nice buck stopped by the next camera up the trail...






...and I gotta say, if the bushiness of a squirrel's tail indicates the amount of cold coming in the Winter, we better be prepared!

Tine Time

You don't get to see much of this buck - other than a good look at the long tines.


Turkeys are birds - so we might as well add Wild Turkey (005) to Bird Count 2009-10

Time to Change the Clocks and Fill the Bird Feeder

This feeder is in rough shape - the lid is missing, the plastic tube is broken, and the hanger attachment gone - but one hour after filling it, wildlife began to arrive.





For Bird Count 09-10, we add 003 Cardinal and 004 Red-Bellied Woodpecker.