Morning Glories: Becky's Garden - Fall 2010, 1 by beckygardener

beckygardener wrote:
I have seen the hawk in flight carrying a squirrel and a snake at different times in it's talons. I haven't seen any snakes at all this year in my yard. For years I had 3 nice sized snakes that hung around my yard. (Non-poisonous.) I rather liked having them around. I suspect that the hawk got them or perhaps the bobcat. We have a mother bobcat that had three cubs from what my neighbors told me. She was raising them in one of the vacant lots 3 properties down from my home on the densely wooded corner lot. Our neighborhood was getting too many fruit rats ... I had a lot coming into my yard and doing damage to my plants and the wood around my house. I haven't seen a rat in 3 months. I think the bobcats, owls, and the hawks got most of them. I know these predatory creatures will follow the food source. Unfortunately, I've also seen a pile of bird feathers in my yard several times this year also. They looked like dove feathers. So something got one of those birds from time to time. Likely the hawk.

At one point, I was ready to call an exterminator about the rats. But nature proved once again that there is a balance in all of this. :-) I have seen the mother bobcat a few times this year. But not lately. Her and her cubs may have moved on if the rats and snakes and other live food have all been eaten by her, her cubs, the screech owls, and the hawks. She may be on the move for new territory and live food. You'd never guess by my posts that I live in a typical residential neighborhood. We do have quite a few vacant, wooded lots in our area ... especially around my home. I am always amazed at the wildlife I see here. Quite a contrast to hearing the noisey traffic a block away and all the usual noises in a busy neighborhood. I haven't seen any raccoons in almost a year. I guess the bobcat ran them off, too! LOL! But the squirrels are still here along with all the different resident and migratory birds!

Another photo of my front yard hummer.