Blog Post #7575, Saturday Critters.

At this time we don't have a dog, but I enjoy seeing other people's dogs. This one was with a family that was having a picnic by the river. Behind him are some people wading in the water. 

The rest of today's pictures were taken in my yard. The blue jay was posing nicely. He appears to be healthy. Some blue jays and certain other birds have been in the news recently due to a disease that seems to afflict them. Wildlife biologists are trying to find out what causes it, but in the meantime they ask that we not feed birds. I don't normally feed them in the summer anyway.

While I was photographing this one, he turned and flew away. 

Saturday's Critters / I'd Rather Be Birdin' 

The gray geese continue to harass me. When I arrived home a few days ago, two of them were on our front stoop. One was drinking from the bird bath but stopped to glare at me when I got out of the car. Frank told them to go away and they ambled off.

This evening they were there again but with their buddy. Usually they travel as a trio, which concerns me because I don't want to be surrounded. One of them attacked me and bit me last month.

I should point out that they do not belong to anyone although they are a domesticated breed. They are "geese gone wild."

Yesterday I was sitting on the back deck and the three of them came along. One started eating an iris leaf and I raised my camera to take a picture. Suddenly this one hopped up the steps onto the deck. I stood up and ordered him to get down. He pooped on the deck and then hopped back down the steps.

This is the most aggressive of the trio. Note the hackles, or raised feathers on his neck. I have no idea why he hates me.

For today's final picture, here's a cute squirrel. I don't see as many squirrels as I did during winter when I was keeping bird feeders filled. Squirrels think bird feeders are for them.