One-Liner Wednesday – Feeding Time

New England Life, One Line Wed 81 comments

“Don’t look out the window!”

No, there’s no boogieman. No political candidates. It’s not the season for Girl Scout cookies. No one is asking for a contribution… well, no human that is. Our yard has become a bit of an animal maternity ward. We got baby squirrels, baby chipmunks, baby birds and baby bunnies. Several of them have figured out that the nice lady who comes out the front door brings food.

We’re trying not to feed them so much or so often that they don’t learn how to forage the vast wilderness that is this small suburban neighborhood, but it’s hard.

They are so cute!

The gallery is full of these guys. The video at the end is a special little guy that may become a problem. Or, I may become a problem for him. The spot he decided to start tunneling is very close to where I need to put a 6” diameter sono-tube 42” into the ground before filling it with concrete. Maybe he’s here to help me dig, He looks pretty capable.

The grass was recently cut, so it should give you an idea of how little this guy is.
We’re ready to enjoy a holiday weekend afternoon.
This is the little guy in the video. ♫ Excavating for a mine…
Maddie and I watched this baby taking advantage of the clover.
Mourning Doves had been targeted by the hawk we had in the spring. Now we have some babies.
Every baby animal in the neighborhood is out here today.
Everyone is welcome
This is Chippy. He is one tame chipmunk and he likes our front porch.
“I hope the nice lady put some food out. I’d hate to have to go shopping on a holiday weekend.”
Baby bird. Crow? Not sure.
One of the recent additions to the sparrow community.
If I open the door, they leave.
“The other weeds are pretty tasty, too.”
“I like the clover in this yard”
The baby black squirrel is looking for some food.
This is the littlest bunny we’ve seen this year.

This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. You can follow this link to see the one-liners from the other participants.

And here’s the little digger

81 comments

  1. As much as I despaired the wreck and ruin to the veggie garden, I do miss the wildlife from our urban yard. We do have critters up here, of course, just not in the same numbers. Enjoyable gallery, thanks Dan!

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  2. Wow, you have quite the fence-less zoo going on in your yard. The babies have apparently been told you have a safe zone that comes with an occasional feeding from a tall human. Good for you and the editor for supporting wildlife instead of trying to chase it away (except, perhaps for chippy).

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    1. Thanks – we joke that we are the maternity ward on our street. The bigger bunnies are roaming around the neighborhood. “Chippy” is a fav of the editor. He’s pretty cute, despite the holes he’s digging. He must have quite the subterranean network under the yard. He (the one in the back) and I are going to have a problem. I’m going to take his tunnels by eminent domain at some point.

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  3. Wow. That chipmunk is amazing. I never knew that chipmunks dig like that, though I am quite conscious of the fact that squirrels love to excavate my front yard. I love the shots of the rabbits, which look a lot like the one that lives in my living room (most of the time in the cage, but he gets to run around there for a while in the evenings).

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    1. Thanks Mike. I might have to edit your comment to keep the Mrs from getting the idea of having a bunny running around the house :)

      We usually see the chipmunk’s holes, but not the huge mound of dirt. This guy seems to be building a fortress.

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  6. I’ve got a whole lot of love to toss around this post <3 I love your little zoo world though!
    It doesn't get much better than bunnies and chipmunks. Toss in a deer or two and it would be a wonderland for me :)
    Having said that, Mr Chippy and I could have a problem or two. They're assertive little things and given a chance, he'll move right in with you in the blink of an eye.

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    1. Thanks Joanne. We do have concerns about Chippy. The one in the back made his way into my workshop. I can’t be checking the garage everyday to see that’s he’s gone, and there are way too many places to hide in there. I think, for the moment, the one in the front is content to have the relatively spacious area under our porch (which was, at one point, sealed by a boarder of small pavers – 2 or 3 of which have mysteriously toppled over :)

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  7. Cute little video!! I used to feed the squirrels around my house until they started tearing up the screens when I was late! Those heavy-duty screens aren’t cheap! But I miss the little guys.

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  9. That chipmunk is adorable! I love how he pushes that dirt around, scratches what itches, and then really digs into his work! I have never seen a real live chipmunk. Great catch of the bunny with the leaves in his mouth. Maddie loves her little ‘friends’?

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  10. Ha, what a marvelous menagerie! I’m sure word has gone out along the cute-critter grapevine that Dan’s yard is the place to be. And hey, that chipmunk is definitely an asset — look at him go. What a work ethic. You’ve got to take advantage of his industriousness somehow!

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    1. Thanks Paul. I imagine rodent real estate saying “this is a good area for families with children.” Of course, these moms and dads walk away quick – especially the dads.

      The chipmunk is digging in the right place. I need 6″ diameter x 42″ deep. I think he might need a crane.

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  13. I’m not too fussy on human babies, but animal babies are wonderful, and the more, the merrier. Really enjoyed your video, Dan — I’ve never seen a chipmunk dig with such gusto before!

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  14. What a happy place! I don’t feed our wild critters in the backyard, because if they get too close, our coon hound will gobble them up in a heartbeat. But I do leave water and some tidbits in the front yard when it’s very hot or very cold outside.

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    1. It a good thing Maddie prefers to be on a leash. Otherwise the back yard would be a battleground. But they all seem to be able to outrun her and she seems content to sit and watch.

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  17. Too cute little guys! Saw a tiny bunny in my front yard this week. That’s about it where I live. Miss the childhood Maine wild woods & animals. Good you have a friendly yard for the babies. 🌺🌷🌸 Christine

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            1. Not your fault. I can only reply to comments made on photos, if I’m using my laptop, BUT, I can comment on photos from others, while using my phone. Shaking head…

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  22. All hail the excavation chipmunk! SQUEE! I relate to the paranoia of my garden critters, so I’m endeared to them to the point of nuts and berries. lol
    To be fair, they’re definitely safer in my yard than they are out on the roads. Interstate berries are almost unheard of, hm?
    Great post, Dan. So much cuuuuute! I’d write kyoot, but I’m not sure you know all the girl words.

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    1. Someone around here knows the girl words. Every animal but me in this house is female. I pick on my wife but I think they’re cute too. She has better pictures, though. I need to borrow some of them.

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  27. I didn’t realize that little chipmunks dug such large holes. We have a little guy that scrambles across our deck, but I haven’t seen any holes in the yard. I have however wondered what little critter has been digging in my flower pots and uprooting the plants. Now I know! But he’s so cute.

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      1. They’re smart little critters. I was thinking this morning about the black squirrels that you have your way. I commented to you that I’ve never seen one before. However, we have one little brown squirrel in our yard which I’ve never seen before neither. He’s not a dark brown, but he is definitely brown.

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  29. I loved the last post where you had birds enjoying park playground equipment and this one where they love their benefactor nice lady of the household!! So sweet, love Chippy the chipmunk, the baby birds and bunnies! The black squirrel and baby black squirrel are rare treats in my “neck of the woods,” Dan. :)
    I love clover, it makes a soft place to stand or sit in the grass. Sometimes have to watch for bees, tho’. The reflections in the last post was like the political reflections of being neutral and getting along with people and creatures. I put both last posts and this one’s critters together!

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  30. This reminds me of an award-winning documentary by BBC called Tiny Giants. Have you seen it? I highly recommend it. It’s not like your regular animal documentary on Nat Geo. I guarantee you will be surprised to see how little you know about these guys.

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