Sweet Success

In the valley that exists above the higher peaks of the Colorado Rockies, 10,000 feet above sea level, there is little that grows but some frightening looking pine trees, dessert weedy types of grass and minimal wild flowers. As to animals, we see occasional herds of wild antelope and hear wolves howling at night, and I'm sure there are bears (whom I never hope to meet). And while I expect see the occasional raptor, every morning this last trip I was quite surprised to see  hummingbirds whizzing over our porch to the cluster of trees just in front of us when we were out there enjoying our breakfast.

Though we were only going to be there for 5 days, I ran out and bought an el cheapo plastic feeder and asked the locals how to make the stuff to fill it (1 part sugar to 2 parts water, cooked up in a pot so the sugar dissolves, cool, fill feeder).

I hung it out front just before the sun set and could not believe my eyes when first thing in the morning I heard that very unique little whirring sound of their wings outside my window.  Since they're there and gone in a heartbeat, I grabbed my camera and with a mix of stealth and haste I got this shot through the dewy window. The bird was gone before before I could get a better angle.  

Later that day my husband balanced on a ladder while dilligently waterproofing on the back wall of the cabin.  I'd gone into town so I didn't see it but he told me that the hummingbirds flew back several times that day. One of them, attracted to the red on his cap, not only came up to his face, but landed on his bill. Delighted, he stayed as still as he could til the bird flew away. He said it was surreal. I wish I had gotten a picture of THAT!

They say it takes a long time for animals to find your feeders... not in this case! We were so thrilled to have such easy success with these elusive birds we can hardly wait to go back up again.

Hijinks

Boy I want this guy looking out in my neighborhood. He certainly is alert (cracks me up when he looks up and back). Perhaps there is a Starbucks in Meerkat world and he's had a grande.

Predators are not much of a threat to these guys at the zoo but even so, these Meerkats don't get lazy. It's in the genes. What does freak them out is when they see a rogue balloon floating by. I wonder if that's their version of a UFO. Anyway, while the sentry is on the lookout, the others in the family are busy doing industrious Meerkat things.




But they've been known to conk out right in the midst of their work, as if they were narcoleptic! And anyone who's watched Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet probably knows they sleep in the funniest positions...

Speckled Bears

Have you ever heard of a speckled bear? I hadn't before I started to work with the carnivore keepers at the zoo. I just thought there were bear bears. Big and scary, grizzly, black or brown perhaps, but speckled? You can see from the pictures below why they are called this.



...well, that's a guess on my part. We have a pair of speck bears and while I was taking some VIP zoo members on a morning tour that included the bears, they seemed quite in the mood for posing. I was amazed at how these pics I snapped turned out. Don't professional photogs wait all day to capture poses like these?


Maybe they're hoping I'll send them on to Tyra Banks or some other model mogul. I think they'd readily take their pay in fresh salmon!

Every day I'm at the zoo or the Wildlife Rehab Center or even the park, I discover the lovability of an animal that might not have seemed so appealing before. That is why zoos exist and why injured and rescued animals, who can't be returned to the wild, do such an important job as ambassadors to people like me. Here's a great example.

What do you think of when you think PORCUPINE?

Perhaps the word OUCH comes to mind. Nuisance? Or maybe nothing much comes up at all. Well, watch this and you'll never think of nothing again!




If only these videos didn't translate so small on blogger! I hope you can see that his keeper starts the video by stroking his head... in fact, this guy's quills aren't prickly at all if you pet him from the head back (though I'd only try it on a a tame one who knows you). They're plenty sharp if he raises them in a certain way, which he does if scared or threatened. And like the nice lady says, it IS a myth that they shoot their quills -- Someone took too much purple pyramid and made that one up.

This species spends most of their time in trees around North and South America. They eat some fruit but mostly bark and stems, which helps to keep their teeth filed and in good shape. They can weigh between 12-35 pounds and live about 5-7 years in the wild, but much longer in captivity.

And, just like the squirrels I have come to adore (a love I hope to have encouraged in you too), porcupines are also rodents! The R-word and all it's squeamish connotations is quickly dissolving isn't it?

Who knew he'd be so talented and oh so fuzzy of face and paws? And how gently he holds his keepers hand to eat from it. Porcupines take their time and that's something we could all do a little more of.

If you aren't won over yet, our little pal will just have to charm you by saying goodbye and thanks for considering him. He's just decided to do it, for now, with his back to you.


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