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Bald Eagles

Not Sure

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IMG_5004.jpgSightings are getting pretty common here in my area lately . Had to pull over and watch as he flew over a swamp and landed in a tree 200' away . Hoping to make some turns with one this flying season . 2012 spent 20mins in a thermal and climbed 3000' ...no camera. Majestic birds !
 

Tin

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I'm surprised at how many are around RI these days. 5+ years ago a sighting made the news. Now they seem to be everywhere. I know of 6 that are residents around nearby lakes and rivers and can be seen daily (they are hard to miss). I have been wondering why there has been such a surge in residency in RI. I know even NYC had its first pairing in quite a while last year.

The amount of peregrines and red tails around Providence is amazing. I know of a few bald as well. This guy takes some great pics of them around the city.
https://www.facebook.com/ProvidenceRaptors/?fref=ts
 

JimG.

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There is a trout stream on my property and we have had a resident bald eagle for about 18 months now. Combined with the hawks and owls they are the best pest control available.
 

SkiFanE

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I believe it's the reforestation of New England. Was fields around here 100 years ago. I grew up 6 miles from where I live now and the things I see frequently now that never/rarely saw as a kid are turkeys, fisher cats, coyotes and Hawks. I hear owls at night often, didn't as a kid. I grew up on edge of a town forest but still never saw these things. Sadly missing monarch butterflies and bats lately.
 

Funky_Catskills

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We have a few now in Hunter - I see a big one cruising the stream behind my house..
No fisher cats in a couple years.. I think a big hawk took the one I used to see out. We have Coopers Hawks which do damage to the doves in the yard.. And I can hear the coyotes yapping all night up on the ski mountain mid summer..
It's like Wild Kingdom all up in there..

Truth about the bats... It's fukced up not seeing them anymore. :(
 

WoodCore

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A couple nesting pair here in Burlington, CT. Between the Farmington River and the State Fish Hatchery, it's a buffet!!!!
 

SkiFanE

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We have a few now in Hunter - I see a big one cruising the stream behind my house..
No fisher cats in a couple years.. I think a big hawk took the one I used to see out. We have Coopers Hawks which do damage to the doves in the yard.. And I can hear the coyotes yapping all night up on the ski mountain mid summer..
It's like Wild Kingdom all up in there..

Truth about the bats... It's fukced up not seeing them anymore. :(

when we'd sit on our patio in the burbs at night they'd come out right at dark swooping all over, didn't freak me out. So many Mosquitos around here, I really really miss them. I forgot the stat but they eat lots. I did read recently the monarch migration is big this year.
 

JimG.

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Animal populations have cycles almost like the weather.

I fish a lot and never noticed bats much until the late 80's. Then the population seemed to explode, so much so that it got difficult to cast a lure at night and not have the bats attack it in the air. We switched to dropping live bait it got so bad.

Then about 5 years ago the bats seemed to disappear. But I still see them, especially at my house. Just a lot fewer.
 

Tin

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The bats are being taken out by disease...
White Nose Syndrome

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/white-nose_syndrome/

Wow. Bummer. There are a few species really under pressure right now. The moose population in NH and Maine has been hit really hard by ticks and worms/parasites. I can see state's really cutting down on the number of tags given out for hunting in upcoming years.

Meanwhile, animals like snowshoe hare are on the increase which then increases the kitty (specifically the lynx and bobcat as snowshoe population directly correlates) populations. Bobcats are now all over Rhode Island and Connecticut, even along the coast. The black bear population has "exploded" in New England, including southern New England.
 

Funky_Catskills

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Very unfortunate. Since bats help fertilize about 75% of the trees on the planet certainly not good for humans.

And the there's the bugs.... Bats can eat close to 1,000 mosquitos in one hour...

I've seen some moths that are the size of birds... i attribute it to the lack of bats...
 

JimG.

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And the there's the bugs.... Bats can eat close to 1,000 mosquitos in one hour...

I've seen some moths that are the size of birds... i attribute it to the lack of bats...

Sounds like Luna moths. They are gigantic as moths go.

And I'll bet the lack of bats has influenced the spread of the Zika virus which is mosquito borne.
 

Funky_Catskills

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Sounds like Luna moths. They are gigantic as moths go.

And I'll bet the lack of bats has influenced the spread of the Zika virus which is mosquito borne.

I'd never seen a luna moth until 2 summers ago.. Seriously..
Now I see them at gas stations all the time - with the bright lights
 

Not Sure

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Sounds like Luna moths. They are gigantic as moths go.

And I'll bet the lack of bats has influenced the spread of the Zika virus which is mosquito borne.

Haven't seen too many Luna's , theses guys are aroundIMG_2101.jpg

Brown Bats are recovering in my area, Have seen a lot last Summer.

If you want to clean up mosquito population put up Purple Martin houses . Have a relative who tried for decades to get them and finally got them to nest , Once they get established they return every year and in large numbers.

I've noticed a swing in predator /prey population in my yard , been in my house for 17rs when I first moved in one day had 52 turkeys in the yard one day. Then sighted foxes more often hardly an turkey sightings for a few years now there coming back along with the rabbit population.

A bunch of transient Great horned owls , lately Screech owls .
 

Scruffy

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Haven't seen too many Luna's , theses guys are around
attachment.php


Brown Bats are recovering in my area, Have seen a lot last Summer.

If you want to clean up mosquito population put up Purple Martin houses . Have a relative who tried for decades to get them and finally got them to nest , Once they get established they return every year and in large numbers.

I've noticed a swing in predator /prey population in my yard , been in my house for 17rs when I first moved in one day had 52 turkeys in the yard one day. Then sighted foxes more often hardly an turkey sightings for a few years now there coming back along with the rabbit population.

A bunch of transient Great horned owls , lately Screech owls .

I tried a purple martin house for years, didn't happen. You usually need a good sizable pond or small lake on your site for purple martins. Tree swallows are good bug eaters too and easier to attract. Bobcats have been hunting in my yard for a several years now, good to see.
 

JimG.

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Lunas are rare.

Forgot about the red foxes. I've seen quite a few large and healthy looking red foxes recently.
 

Funky_Catskills

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Saw a big bear across the street from my house Saturday night.. He ran when I yelled at him..
I really hope my while trash neighbors don't put garbage out.. We do pretty good with that stuff on this side of Hunter.
Bears have never been a problem - fingers crossed..
 

Not Sure

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Saw a big bear across the street from my house Saturday night.. He ran when I yelled at him..
I really hope my while trash neighbors don't put garbage out.. We do pretty good with that stuff on this side of Hunter.
Bears have never been a problem - fingers crossed..

They're partial to bird seed !
Funny true story about a Deli owner in Jim Thorpe . Owner sends an employee back to her house a to get more bread employee returns without bread and exclaims "There is a Bear in your house" . Bear spotted the bird seed through the window and went through the window and dined on the seed . The bear attempted to exit elsewhere and couldn't .
It was a log home and the bear clawed up the walls and did lots of damage. Owner arrives and sees bear freaking out. Opens front door and hid under the deck as the bear exited the house.
 

Funky_Catskills

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Yup... I don't feed the birds after winter..

I keep stuff out of my car too.. They can crack a window for a stick of gum...
 
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