critters

Things certainly are different living in the country.  Not true.  They are not different; they are different to me.  People who have lived out in the wilderness have experienced these critters for years.  Being a city slicker, my view has been hampered.  And, to think about it, when I was band directing, I didn't observe much of anything.
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We have hummingbird feeders place on the edge of the porch.  5 feeders line our property.  Or in Star Wars talk:  Property lined with 5 feeders ours are.  This past couple of weeks, we have had anywhere from 20 to 40 hummingbirds dining and fighting off the porch and into the adjoining trees.  All summer, our three faithful hummingbirds have stayed close at hand doing what they do.  We figure if they would ever quit fighting over the food, they might gain some weight.
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But here for about 2 weeks we had a wave of birds.   All day long, eating and flying and fussing.  They were beautiful.  Our daughter Christine came to visit during this time and was able to sit on the back porch and watch and watch.  They are so much fun  (the birds, Christine is fun too; but, in a different way).  She left on Tuesday last week.  On Wednesday, no birds.  Our 3 faithful are still here.  The flock has left the building.
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I figure they were migrating south for the winter and got waylaid by the healthy feast we had provided.  Not one has said thank you.  Not one has sent a note.  Just "poof" and no birds.
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I noticed that when we stepped out on the porch, the birds flew to the trees.  We would sit, and they would return in a moment or two.  The dogs could be on the back porch barking, screaming, running, howling - you name it.  This did not affect the hummingbirds at all.

Sometimes I talk about my wirehair dachshunds.  Not true!  I always talk about my wirehair dachshunds.  This is a photo taken in 2004 - about the time I retired and we moved into the motorhome for 3 years of traveling.  L to R  Fritz (about 3 yrs old),  Greta (4), and Liesl (1). 
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You won't feel like I do.  This photo just made me sit and smile when I found it on the computer. Liesl is so pretty and young.  She has grown more hair on her face since then.  Greta looks pretty much the same - a ball of fiery fur - the most beautiful blond I have ever known.  Fritz died this year.  He was such a fabulous, handsome black and tan...Hungry - let's eat now - where's the beef? I miss him still.
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Now that I put the old guys on, I suppose I will have to put an update photo and a photo of the twins:  Oscar and Bruno.
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My wife walked this morning down the road.  On our front walkway she found a dead baby copperhead snake about 7-8 inches in length.  For those who don't know, baby copperheads have a lime green tail about 3/4 inches long.  This snake's tail had begun to lose the green color indicating it was a bit over...still a killer, but older.
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The snake had been cut in half.   The back half just was there on the sidewalk.  The front half was in a gooey pile where it had been eaten and regurgitated  (thrown up for those of limited verbal skills).  Throw up.  There is no better way to see a snake.  My question is who killed the snake and ate him?   My feeling are it might have been the roadrunner.   I don't know.  As we say:  the only good copperhead is a dead copperhead.
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Do armadillos eat snakes?  Whole and Alive?.
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I haven't mentioned the frogs and lizards that are all over this land.  It is time to close.  Lunch is ready.  Guacamole salad and enchiladas.   My wife is so good to me.
mtz