Owl encounter and a coyote on the game camera.

Posted on by Andy Dobos

The other night Deneen and I went out to shovel the driveway at about 9pm.  We have a very long driveway and were walking out to start at the far end when we heard a Great Horned Owl hooting from not far away.  Having heard of people hooting back to get the animal to come closer I did so.  After a few exchanges of hoots it did indeed fly much closer and landed in a large tree right in front of us.  We hooted to each other a few more times while it stared at us.  It was quite large with wide wings.  It then flew toward us, almost directly above, took a sharp right and went off.

After shoveling loudly for and hour (long driveway) we noticed the owl in another tree on the edge of the field.  We watched it for some time scanning the ground for prey.

It felt good to be recognized by a wild animal like that.  Another reminder to go outside because thats where the cool things happen.

I also got a picture of an Easter Coyote on the game camera for the first time.

Easter Coyote on Game Camera Watertown CT

Spring Time

Posted on by Andy Dobos

Sorry I have not been writing, its been a very busy spring working long hours at work and teaching a lot on the weekends. 

On a walk along the road the other day I saw a lot of great edible plants.  Did not have the camera but heres a list; Hog Peanut, Ground Nut, Sumac, Ramps, Burdock, Sweet Fern.  All within a short walk from my house. 

Here are some pictures of things I have seen around. 

Skunk tracks in the garden (and a dog)

skunk tracks in garden

Skunk poop (I think)

skunk poop

Dead fish found at White Memorial on shore of Bantam Lake near shore point where otter sign was found.  Otters chew tails off of fish upon catching them so they won’t swim away. 

dead fish white mem

Otter scat and muskrat skull and bones.

otter sign white mem

Open muscle shell right next to otter scat. This was a super cool place that had scat of multiple ages. 

more otter sign

A thrush in my back yard.  I am not sure if its a wood or hermit thrush.

thrush in back yard

Thrushes nest.  Female was also nearby.  They had divebombed some kids who were looking at the nest earlier. 

thrush nest

This years bounty and eating a little Wild.

Posted on by Andy Dobos

This year has been amazingly bountiful in New England as far as wild plant food goes. The nut trees have been dumping acorns, walnuts and hickory nuts by the bucketfull, so much in some places that I have watched people slip on them like so many marbles dropped on a floor. I have observed many other plants as well, such as Indian Cucumber, grapes, jewelweed, and more. Almost everything I am familiar with seems to be doing very well.

To take avantage of the excess I have been trying to eat more wild plant food. I boiled some acorns and had them for breakfast with an apple (which I picked from the old orchard at work). My intern made wonderfull acorn bread that she shared with us, and one of my co-instructors brought back a raccoon struck by a car after he eased its passing (ended its suffering, for the less squeemish). He cooked it up and we ate it for dinner.

My next step is to save some acorns for further use this winter and try to keep wild things in my diet. Not easy since my time is short and I anticipate some failure to keep it up but its worth a try.

Andy

Summer

Posted on by Andy Dobos

I have been very behind in posting so to get back in the habit here are some pictures of interesting things I have seen this summer.

Three pairs of similar looking plants I used for a lesson at work. Close up of one of those plants. I could not ID it for sure as it is already gone to seed but it is in the carrot/parsley family, if I am not mistaken ( which could be serious if we were thinking of eating it). Leaves of same plant. Again we were foiled in to identification due to the plants advanced age, all the leaves were ragged and torn.
Garter snake in a rock wall getting some sun.