taking [fright] flight

We've had a little activity in the wildlife arena lately. 

a.k.a.  Our backyard. Front patio. House.

A couple of weeks ago, this guy was sitting by the edge of the pool where a puddle of water usually accumulates after the yard sprinklers have run.

Even though it was through my lens...it was a pretty close peek at one of these hawks. They are around quite a bit, usually flying and circling in the distance.  For some reason, they like to play a cat and mouse chase game with other birds while flying around, and occassionally will land in the trees in our yard. We had one that I was able to get photos of that hung around the fountain in the front one day a year or so ago. Evidently, they enjoy a little water to quench their thirst or splash around on their feathers once in awhile.

This one didn't say long. I snapped a couple of pic's through the kitchen window before he looked over his right shoulder...

and took flight up and out of our yard.

It was there and then it wasn't.

And that is how the other wild things have been making their appearance. Here one minute and gone the next. The bobcats have been drifting through lately. Usually just a quick glance as they pass through is all we get. Until the other day...

This guy laid right here in this spot for a couple of hours. The sun went down and I couldn't see out there any more so he may have been cozy enough to spend the night. I'm sure this happens more than we ever see. I believe this one was enjoying our new winter grass. Yes, we will have this green grass though the winter. It is pretty and such a difference to the heat choked summer grass.

We are never surprised and always amazed at the strange things that show up around here. I've said it before...never do I not look down while walking!

This big lovely thing was on the front patio last week!

If we had tomato plants we'd call it a tomato caterpillar. But we don't so I won't. I'll just chalk it up as a mystery.

And this.

It was crossing the street when I drove around the corner here in the neighborhood the other day. I had to get out of the car to get a couple of quick photos. WARNING: Tarantula crossing!

In the last month we have had two...TWO... tarantula infant sightings. One was JUST inside the outside door to the garage. The other was just INSIDE the door to the hallway by the bedrooms. Two out of how many did the little mother tarantula hatch is what I want to know?

I do not like them in the rocks.
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them in my house.
I do not like them nope I don't.