Did you know Tennessee Has GATORS?

Did you say, GATORS? Yep, they've been here for years. These gators are more common than you think and I bet you've seen them too. This photo is not a Tennessee gator but a Florida gator. 

Tennessee Gators are a bit smaller and different than the Florida Gator. Most of the time, you see two or more in the same area and they are near highways or interstates. For some reason you see them more often in warm or hot weather and they lie in wait on the side of roads. You must be careful not to run over them because they can wreak a vehicle. In the picture below, you can see them on the right side of the road. 

They come in all sizes and tread. Did I say tread? Here's a close up photo of two gators along the road. Truck drivers call them ROAD GATORS. 

These road gators are the tire treads that come off 18 wheeler s. So now, every time you see those tire treads on the side of the road you will think Road Gators! You be careful out there and watch out for Road Gators in your state.

Not a Gator, but check-out my beautiful lake, river and bay decor maps. I hid a tiny mermaid in the waters of every map and might even put in a gator if you ask. They make great gifts for the lake lovers, lake house, or fisherman. Big and small maps are available. LeoLakes.com

"May you have fair winds and following seas"

  

Lake Art! Percy Priest Lake!

New art! I just finished painting this old style map of Percy Priest Lake. I have been to this lake many times. When I was a child, my father and I fished the Stones River before the lake was impounded. I remember taking our 14' aluminium, flat bottom, Sears boat up the river with our dog Lucy and camping on the bank. We had a 3.5 hp, Western Auto Wizard outboard that I now have. Along the shore there were very large mussels laying on the gravel bars and lots of fish to catch. These were some great outdoor memories! 

The blue waters of Percy Priest Lake is located on the Stones River near Nashville, Tennessee. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the dam in 1967. Click on the map to enlarge. Remember:"Get Up and Get Outdoors!"

Being in the right place at the right time!

Here's a great photo of a hawk bearing down on a quick meal. I was in the right place at the right time with a camera. You can see the hawk in the background. The birds are sitting contently not realizing what's about to happen. Will the hawk catch his prey or will the birds make a fast get away? Only I know.

HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED! Actually the birds just fly off without any problems, because I Photo Shopped the hawk into the photo. I'm bad, he he he, but it could have happened. 
"What's in your woods." Get out and find out!

What kind of animal is this?

Critter cam, my motion detection camera that I place in the woods to capture whatever walks by, photographed this picture at 10:41 pm at night in the Tennessee woods. 

It appears to have a long tail, white under belly and dark legs. It’s not a cat, but more K-9 looking. No doubt, it’s moving quickly and didn't stop for a sniff. 
The camera has been out for a while in this location, and the animals are always traveling the same way, down the hill. Why? I think I know. This is obviously a one way trail.  

Any way, I looked at approximately 100 pictures on the net to help me identify the critter, and I think I have a good idea. What wild animal do you think it is? Leave me a comment! Remember: "What's in your woods". Get out and find out.

A CAMERA, FOX PEE & A GOAL!

At 6:30 this morning, I awoke and took off to the woods to check Critter Cam, my motion detection camera. I have it placed on a tree near an animal trail, which I have sprayed Fox urine around with the goal of photographing a Red Fox. For EIGHT day’s I have checked critter cam. Each day nothing, except for a squirrel coming near. But today, I think, I believe, it appears, I have a photo of the critter. It does look like a fox? 

I call this goal accomplished. Now for a photo of a Bobcat, do they make Bobcat pee? Also, as in earlier posts about this subject, I have learned a bunch. One, I found Fox urine to be difficult to get off, I spilled a little on me, which Ajax and Bounty wouldn't even get off. Two, it attracts cats. Our cats Gray, Smokey, Creamy and Kibble smell this stuff out no matter where I put it and go after it. Here is Creamy out in the woods smelling fox pee and interfering in my Operation Fox Photo.

Mmmm, feels good to accomplish a goal! Do you know "What's in your woods".

Two Buzzards Celebrating?

What do you think these Black Buzzards are celebrating?

100 years of God's amazing grace, of course. 

Operation Fox Photo- Update

Early this morning, I walked eagerly into the woods in hopes of finding that a fox had come across critter cam, my motion detection camera. Hmmmm, looks like something has been walking around near the camera, but it’s too hard to tell what. I quickly took the digital card out of the camera and headed to the house. At home, I loaded the card into the computer and there it was. Can you see it? If you can’t, then you may have Animal Dyslexia (Go to post called "Do You Have Animal Dyslexia? to find out). Look closely!  

It’s a dang Squirrel, a Squirrel. No Red Fox! The $5.99 Fox pee I sprayed around isn’t working. Can you believe I paid money for pee. Who does that. Anyway, I will leave it out a few more days because I want to get my money's worth for this pee. (The Squirrel is in the left, lower part of the photo near the big tree for those who have Animal Dyslexia.)

What do you call a small Turkey chasing a Big Turkey?

"Chubby Chaser" That's what I call it. A few weeks ago I got a great photo of these two Turkeys and couldn't resist putting it on the blog.  I wasn’t sure what to title this picture, but I think I nailed it. Wow, what a Butter Ball. This Turkey could feed a village.

Can you tell which Turkey is the chubby chaser? If you look closely enough you can see Tom's beard, which is a clump of hair sticking out of its chest. This indicates male, which chubby does not have, indicating female. Hope you laughed and Remember: "What's in your woods"

Critter Cam Up-date: Operation Fox Photo

Critter Cam (for those who don't know, is a digital camera with a motion detector and night night vision that I put out to capture animal pictures) has been out for a few days, and no fox, no animal, no squirrel, nothing has come around critter cam, not even a bird. So, the Fox pee is not working. Maybe it is the weather or the fox pee scares away everything, not sure. I will keep it out a few more days and maybe I will have better luck on Valentine’s Day.