We're about halfway through the season of Spring. And the warm weather has brought back some familiar friends. So, I thought I'd share a compilation of springtime gifs that I've made over the last 6 weeks. After all, summer is almost here!
For the entire time I've lived in my current locale, there has also been a family of rabbits living in the area. In the wild, rabbits live relatively short lives. Typically, less than two years.
How long they live depends mostly on three factors. Food availability, predators, and weather stability. My resident rabbits appear to have plenty of vegetation to munch on. Over the summer, they can often be seen chowing down on fresh clover.
Wild rabbits have many potential predators to worry about. Because of this, they don't like to wander too far from their home. My rabbit neighbors don't really have to worry about getting eaten. There aren't any foxes near here. Occasionally, a hawk or two will circle overhead. But, that's about it. Automobiles are probably their greatest threat.
If they ever find themselves in danger, their only real defense is to hide. Preferably, underground. If they can't reach the safety of their home, rabbits must rely on their fur. For they are masters of camouflage.
Can you spot it?
During my time living here I've no-doubt observed multiple generations of this family of rabbits. I wonder if they pass down tales about "the creepy, big thing that's always spying on them!"
The first familiar friend to make an appearance was the lady beetle. Two showed up at the end of February after a couple of warm days. One with spots and one without.
Following the warm February days, the weather turned cold again. And the beetles went away. As the first day of Spring approached, a spotted one reappeared. Probably not the same one as before.
So, I grabbed an espresso saucer and prepared a meal for my beetle friend. What do lady beetles like to eat? Aphids, of course! Unfortunately, I was fresh out after a binge the night before. Don't ask.
Instead, I used a couple drops of water and a smidgen of jelly. The beetle went for an initial drink before settling into a sweet, gelatinous feast.
In this manner, I fed this beetle every day for over a month. Cold weather returned recently and I haven't seen it since.
To me, the most telling sign of Spring is the return of the bird songs. Around here, the most prominent songs is often that of the robin. Which is perfectly fine with me. I enjoy their songs.
Whenever I film birds, I get the distinct feeling that they know they are being watched. At some point they will stop whatever they're doing and stare directly into my camera. Directly into my soul. As if to say, I'm watching you, too.
Along with singing, the birds of Spring are also busy searching for the perfect place to put their nests. This blackbird seems to think this gap next to an air conditioner would make a good spot. A similar thing happened to me once. It drove my cat crazy.
And, finally, the return of the Canadian geese. The birds are almost always available for a photo shoot at my local park. On my most recent trip, one walked within a couple of feet from me.
Cities can sometimes look beautiful. From a distance...and when it's dark out. Across the lake, I noticed the lights reflecting off the lake and thought it looked nice.
Wherever we are, we are surrounded by nature. It's always trying to communicate with us. Take time to notice. #NoticeNature.
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