We may love birds, but we're no dummies. When a mammal, lizard, new plant, frog or bug shows up, we snap pics. And who can refuse those outlandish sunsets or epic landscapes? Our trip to New England was phenomenal in that we were able to observe so many wonderful mammals!
Red Squirrel
I will say that they are much easier to capture on camera than a bird:) And sometimes while I'm behind the camera, I have to remember where I have my footing so that I don't fall into a pond or get too close to the large elk, bear or moose! Just a little closer....and BAM!I have a squirrel on top of my head tearing the hair out! Can you tell that I have an active imagination?:)
Luckily, nature has been good to me. No bear attacks or getting an antler jabbed into my belly. The scariest encounters with mammals I've had have been with a mother Javelina and her babies! It wasn't something I had been planning. We just crossed paths together at the same time accidentally and in that moment, I thought "Oh $#%!".
Porcupine
I've been mobbed by a nesting Northern Mockingbird in a parking lot. And a Zone-tailed Hawk swooped down on my head when I accidentally got too close to her nest. So for the most part, the trails have been kind to me:)
Red Fox
In Kathie's world, there are so many furry critters. Everywhere we went, there was a new life mammal. I had never seen a Groundhog or Weasel before!
Groundhog
But the most exciting find came from a secretive patch of forest near the New Hampshire/Maine border. A big man in a teal rusty truck drove towards us and asked in strange drawl, "You folks wanna see a moose?! There's one down this way feeding in the pond. " So we all looked at each other and forgot about birds for one brief moment and high tailed it down "the road" as quietly as we could. Now the man must have said something to someone else because a noisy motorcycle from New York sped loudly in from behind us.
Moose
Thankfully, he shut off his loud motor and we were able to observe this incredibly beautiful moment together. For quite some time, we stood and just marveled at some classic New England beauty.
A Chipmunk
I'm not sure which of the critters were my favorite because they were all so cool, but if I had to pick one.....
It would be the Gray Fox. There is an intelligence with these creatures and many times while we were birding in Kathie's backyard, they'd come to visit us.
So while mammals aren't our primary targets, they are still loved and admired. Nature is awesome and should be enjoyed as a whole. More to come....
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