Must be wildlife week around here. I actually saw a heron (huge) just taking off after having a buffet breakfast at my little goldfish pond. Down one fish. I had taken the framed net cover off a week ago as it was looking rather tatty. My son said he would make another frame, with screening, or something, for me this weekend. I'll set it on top of the pond, resting it on the rocks and take it off when I want.
Then I've seen a black racer a few times -- a very long one (don't know if it's the same one or if there are two).
Frogs have spawned in my big water pot out front, where I have the papyrus. I know it's the Cuban frog because I saw it on top of my compost bin and I needed to find out by seeing if I could move the skin on its head. It actually allowed me to touch it. The skin was fused - so it's Cuban. Then it hopped off. I know where it's lurking now so I will have to catch and dispose of it. The tadpoles are now easy for me to get rid of. I just put a little piece of bread in the water; wait until they have flocked to it and then scoop it all out. Will finish doing that job tomorrow; probably one more scoop should do it.
I also noticed earlier this week a mass of bees congregating on the side of a very large pot, on top of which I have a big bird bath. There were hundreds of them. I actually moved the bird bath piece a little - they were all around me but not at all aggressive. I realized then that there must be enough space between the bird bath and the pot (which has a huge drainage hole in it; so that's where they're going). This is in the flower bed on the side of my driveway. They have moved into the pot, I believe as there isn't a mass outside anymore; but there are quite a few bees coming and going. I'm not too happy with the spot they've chosen, but I'll let it be. I don't know enough about this subject so I guess I'll have to do some research. I just wanted to make sure they weren't the Africanized aggressive bees. Thinking about it, I was rather stupid moving the bird bath to do some checking; but then I just had a feeling by the way they were flying around that they weren't the aggressive ones. Those blighters will follow you for hundreds of yards to sting you and unless you can get indoors away from them, they will continue to attack you.
