Kindred Neighbors

A friend sent me these photographs that seem to be circulating over the internet.  They remind me of how grateful I am to share my personal neighborhood with so many families of various species including deer, raccoons, hummingbirds, eagles, vultures, otters, seals, seabirds, etc.  I feel like our lives are so much richer when we share our lives not just with our inside animal companions, but also with the vast array of living beings that we used to share lives with when we lived in more rural area’s.  It is nice to see how different species can adapt to our newly recreated landscapes of suburbs and cities. In New York City there are periodic recordings of Peregrine falcons and other birds of prey that make nests on the skyscrapers or the odd coyote that makes its way into Central Park.  When I lived in rural northwestern Connecticut we would see the bobcat, coyotes, foxes, and here reports of the odd moose or mountain lion that would meander into the nearby woods as the greenspaces connected with forests farther north.

Certainly, one needs to be aware and cautious of certain wild predators as well as the potential tick borne diseases from ticks that are carried on certain species. In addition, some can certainly cause damage to landscaping and gardens.  Personally though, I think the benefits of sharing our lives with wildlife far outweigh the disadvantages as long as we take appropriate precautions.

The email going around jokingly calls these elk “street gangs”.  I prefer to call them kindred neighbors.  Enjoy the beauty!

STREET GANGS IN CALGARY , ALBERTA

It’s gangs like these that the people of Calgary have to put up with..

A bit different from the problems in other cities…

It proves that every City has their own “unique” gang problems. They roam the streets and yards night and day.

They hang out in even the best neighborhoods!

..and you CANNOT (legally) stop them.

AREN’T THEY MAGNIFICENT !!!!???

Thank you to whoever put these photographs up on the internet.  Thank you for sharing them. If you request credit for them, please let us know.