Fat Cats Corner

 So this just happened... Forgive the horrible video.  I saw our cats very intensively watching something from the upper deck,  I looked out the window and grabbed my phone.   This two year old bear cub was walking through the yard!  The  female black bear matures  as early as three years of age. Breeding occurs from mid-June to mid-July, but in the eastern deciduous forest, mating season can extend into August.  Female black bears usually breed every other year and cubs are born from early January to mid-February.  This guy/girl was kinda skiddish out in the open so I'm figuring Mama Bear just kicked him/her out so she can breed again. I'm figuring this cub is one of these little guys I saw last July 😍

So, there is a new Muscovy in town.  We had one show up with the flock of Canada Geese about 6 or 8 years ago.  Red, as we called him, hung around for a couple seasons and then disappeared.  Like Red, this new Muscovy (we are assuming it's a he just due to his size) arrived with the geese, is very friendly and started towards me when I spoke to him and rattled a few cat kibbles in a cup.  My Fearless Wonder Zoe immediately went to investigate. He is a beautiful bird with feathers of a color I had not seen before. And he ate right from my hand.  When the kibble ran out he wandered over to see Pipurr.  She was not impressed.  We've decided to call him Gus :)    Muscovy are a quackless, perching duck.  The males will make a hissing sound when fearful or agitated and due to their weight often lose their ability to fly.  The females make a type of cooing/peeping sound.  You can read more about them he...