Wild in the City of Charlotte



Flock of Grackles Nov 2011

Grackles looking for food Nov 2011

 Living in the same house for 14 years has allowed me to catch a glimpse of the wonderful wildlife that surrounds us in Charlotte, NC.

I've been lucky enough to have seen so many different kinds of birds, mammals, insects and reptiles right here in my yard or in the neighborhood.

I wish I had the forethought to take pictures all along the way but....here are a few and they are not that great. I need to get a camera with a really good close-up lens. These were taken with a little digital with a 10X zoom.

Anyway, Here is the list of critters that have visited my yard in the past 14 years:

• Too many squirrels to count!
• Family of Chipmunks that live in the woodpile
• Rabbits that live under my deck and under the neighbors shed.
• Each year I have a flock of Cedar Waxwing come and rest and drink for awhile.
• Flocks of black Grackles as shown in the pics.
• Flocks of Starlings - Are they all over the world?
• Hummingbirds in the summer - sometimes 3 at a time.
• Mourning Dove couple. There were two couples but the Hawk ate one 2 weeks ago and now I have 1 couple and a spare - poor thing:'( 



Mourning Dove Couple near the Sundial

Tufted Titmouse

Chickadees

Cowbirds

Carolina Wrens

Purple (red) Finches

Sparrows

Bluebirds

Robins

Sharp Shinned Hawk

Downey Woodpecker

Reg. Woodpecker

Mockingbird

Owls

Rufus Sided Towhee

Little Gray Birds  with light bellies that I haven't figured out yet.

Goldfinches

Nuthatches that pop up and down the trees

Blue Jays

Crows

Red Winged Blackbirds

Meadowlarks

Twice I've had a Mallard couple hang out in the front bushes until they hear the dogs!

Geese

Bullfrogs as big as cereal bowl

Cicadas

Anoles - a few found their way into the house this year.  Luckily, I found them before the cats!

Black Widow spiders

Zipper Spiders

Praying Mantis

Dragon Flies

Lady Bugs

Tuxedo Bugs

Catepillars of all sorts

Butterfiles and Moths and their chrysalises on my parsley in the herb garden.

And More!!



Hummingbird on crook of birdfeeder, 7/2011

One year I found a Box Turtle digging a hole near my pink azalea.  I watched it dig for a long time. It looked exhausting for such a little creature. Watching paid off as she started laying white round eggs in the hole. I was surprised to see how many she deposited. Where was she hidding all those eggs in that shell?? The Box Turtle painstakingly covered the hole when finished laying the eggs. I left her alone to rest. When I came back she was no where to be found. I marked the nest with a stone close by so that I could keep an eye on it.  I checked often but never saw a baby turtle or anything disturb the ground.  I was so hoping to see the baby's come out! I often wonder what happened to the Mother Turtle too.


The Hummingbirds are my favorites! They are so tiny and vulnerable but also fierce when defending their food supply! My husband and I sit on the back porch on summer evenings and watch in amazement as one Hummingbird would squeal (they sound like a tiny kazoo) and zoom off after another that was trying to get close to the feeder. Several nights there were 3 in competition for the food. One would zoom after the other while the third would come in for a drink. Pretty Smart!

Hummingbird landing on crook, 7/2011

Summer 2010 a Hummingbird got stuck in our garage. I tried unsuccessfully to get it out without scaring it too much. After several failed attempts I decided to just leave it alone with the garage doors open for awhile. I went out about an hour later to check and to my horror found the little dear stuck in a cobweb in the corner. It looked dead. I put a glove on and ever so gently picked it up. I was surprised at its weight - or lack of weight I should say! I could hardly tell it was in my hand.  It was still breathing so I gently removed the cobweb as I carried it outside. I knew I needed to give it some food fast. Setting the Hummingbird down in a shady spot I ran inside to get some sugar water and a dropper. The bird hadn't moved so I picked him (I really don't know a female from a male Hummingbird)up and began trying to get it to take a drop of liquid.  The drops out of the dropper where so big compared to the birds pencil lead sized beak. I ran back into the house with the bird in hand and got a little dish. Back outside I poured the sugar water into the dish and began picking up drops on my forefinger and placing it on the tip of his beak. The sugar water ran down the sides of the beak and then all of a sudden the tiny tongue started darting out for more! After a few more drops of sugar water the bird seemed to perk up enough to stand on his own.  I put him down in an open spot and sat there in amazement as he took one drop after another from my finger. Several minutes later he was revived and flew to the top of the bush near me. He looked at me another second and... zoom-- took off toward some trees. I was so happy that he was going to be OK.

Red Tailed Hawk looking for prey! Feb 2012

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I know when my yard gets really quiet -- The Hawk is close by!
Sometimes you can here him calling and singing as he sails on updrafts over the pond. His call is so distinctive.  I know the other creatures hear him too.
One day I came home and found rabbit fur all over the ground under the tall pine. Another day I found the soft, silvery taupe and grey feathers of the Mourning Dove all over the side yard near the fence.  I could go on and on but you get the picture!  Either this guy is a good hunter or the other creatures aren't hiding very well!
He is a beautiful bird of prey. The day I took this pic from my kitchen window it was bright, clear and warm and I had the back door open to the screened-in porch. 30 minutes or so before this guy arrived my birdfeeders were being attacked by several different species. I noticed the quiet and went to investigate. There he was- quietly watching and listening. After 10 minutes of watching him I decided to go outside and see how close I could get before he would fly off.  I moved slowly, stopping to let him see me every few minutes. I was able to get between 20 to 30 feet away from him before he turned on the branch and quietly flew away to a large maple tree on the other side of my neighbors yard.  He maneuvered through the trees and branches with ease. His wings did not make a sound.  That's how he catches his prey off guard!

That's enough BackYard Stories for now.  More to come!
Jeanette