Author Topic: Latest Backyard creature (Read 10159 times)

FloridaGreenMan · « **on:** May 06, 2012, 02:24:25 PM »

Check out this bad boy that I photographed this morning. It lives in a wild patch near my vegetable garden. I think it's a Basilisk lizard from Central America. This is the one that can run on top of water! Not sure if they would bother my fruits, probably eats mostly insects!

HMHausman · « **Reply #1 on:** May 06, 2012, 03:43:54 PM »

Au contrere.......I've caught these things eating carambola at my house. Not sure what else they like to munch on, but they like more than just bugs.

Harry

Tropicalgrower89 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 06, 2012, 03:58:53 PM »

One of those exotic large lizards that have to be killed if they are making your property their home. I just killed a young iguana with my pellet gun last week. I haven't seen anymore.

Squam256 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 06, 2012, 04:03:08 PM »

I have these living around my pond.

Sleepdoc · « **Reply #4 on:** May 06, 2012, 04:41:55 PM »

They are everywhere in my yard. I didn't think they were a threat to my crop, but if they are ......... 1100 FPS Gammo ..

Patrick · « **Reply #5 on:** May 06, 2012, 04:54:40 PM »

The Miracle of the Daffy Jesus Lizard (original narration by Randall)

Jackfruitwhisperer69 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 06, 2012, 05:21:13 PM »

What don't you guy's catch them, then sell them to pest shops...for extra cash?

FlyingFoxFruits · « **Reply #7 on:** May 06, 2012, 05:21:59 PM »

I used to have one of those as a kid, and it got away! You found him!

Please don't shoot my pet!

Maybe they taste good? or u can make a killer lizard skin wallet...I'd buy one.

JF · « **Reply #8 on:** May 06, 2012, 05:48:36 PM »

I brought a few of those lizzards on my way back from Miami a few years ago. I tried to bread them with the locals but I have never seen them again. Here are of the critters that wreak havoc on my fruit trees.

Jackfruitwhisperer69 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 06, 2012, 06:07:13 PM »

Hi JF,

My Dad is a parrot breeder from South Africa and he had 2 breeding pairs of the Green-cheeked Amazon!

If you want to breed them...they prefer hollowed out logs for a nest!

One of my Dad's Mealy Amazon pair took 12 year's for them to breed...once my dad gave them a natural nest...they were breeding like rabbits

natsgarden123 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 06, 2012, 06:44:25 PM »

Quote from: Adam Shafran on May 06, 2012, 05:21:59 PM

I used to have one of those as a kid, and it got away! You found him!

Please don't shoot my pet!

Maybe they taste good? or u can make a killer lizard skin wallet...I'd buy one.

My husband and son ate Iguana in St. Martin. They said it was delicious

Carbo · « **Reply #11 on:** May 06, 2012, 07:27:42 PM »

JF, is that some type of hawk in that first pic? I've seen one in my yard several times, once with a mouse in this talons and once with a wriggling snake of some kind.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #12 on:** May 07, 2012, 07:20:36 AM »

Quote from: FloridaGreenMan on May 06, 2012, 02:24:25 PM

Check out this bad boy that I photographed this morning. It lives in a wild patch near my vegetable garden. I think it's a Basilisk lizard from Central America. This is the one that can run on top of water! Not sure if they would bother my fruits, probably eats mostly insects!

That's a really cool looking liz.

Here's a common visitor going up our stairs:

A lizard dares to try to eat a praying mantis and pays the price:
Preying Mantis Stuns Lizard

Mike T · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2012, 07:37:08 PM »

My friend's garden is raided by a 150lb theif that terrorises the dog and could kill a person

JF · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2012, 07:45:19 PM »

Quote from: Carbo on May 06, 2012, 07:27:42 PM

JF, is that some type of hawk in that first pic? I've seen one in my yard several times, once with a mouse in this talons and once with a wriggling snake of some kind.

Yeap, that's a Raptor. This guy was eying a mockingbird nest in my orange tree.

Mike T · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2012, 07:46:15 PM »

If it brings a friend it can wipe out a vegie patch.

BMc · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2012, 07:55:44 PM »

Mike, a few folk up north said after the cyclone they were hand feeding them! As it took out a lot of the native food trees, as well as orchards, they were quite happy to come to peoples doors and beg for food. They still took out any agro dogs. As long as you left them an escape route they wouldnt slice your throat open.

JF · « **Reply #17 on:** May 07, 2012, 07:57:04 PM »

Quote from: Jackfruitwhisperer69 on May 06, 2012, 06:07:13 PM

Hi JF,

My Dad is a parrot breeder from South Africa and he had 2 breeding pairs of the Green-cheeked Amazon!

If you want to breed them...they prefer hollowed out logs for a nest!

One of my Dad's Mealy Amazon pair took 12 year's for them to breed...once my dad gave them a natural nest...they were breeding like rabbits

Hi Jack

I was talking about lizards not the parrots. These parrots nest in my neighbors trees.

murahilin · « **Reply #18 on:** May 07, 2012, 08:42:06 PM »

Quote from: Mike T on May 07, 2012, 07:46:15 PM

If it brings a friend it can wipe out a vegie patch.

Anyone eat those birds? Or are they protected?

zands · « **Reply #19 on:** May 08, 2012, 03:02:46 AM »

Quote from: Mike T on May 07, 2012, 07:37:08 PM

My friend's garden is raided by a 150lb theif that terrorises the dog and could kill a person

http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/worlds-most-dangerous-bird.html

Cookie Monster · « **Reply #20 on:** May 08, 2012, 11:27:54 AM »

Here's one of my favorites: the brown thrasher singing from my keitt mango tree.

Brown Thrasher 0

FlyingFoxFruits · « **Reply #21 on:** May 08, 2012, 12:10:27 PM »

Quote from: Cookie Monster on May 08, 2012, 11:27:54 AM

Here's one of my favorites: the brown thrasher singing from my keitt mango tree.

Brown Thrasher 0

One of these birds was very aggressive with me yesterday Cookiemonster!

It tried to attack me several times...I've never had a bird do this.

Apparently my back yard is a perfect habitat for this Brown Thrasher.

Fruit orchard with tall grass!

Tropicalgrower89 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 08, 2012, 12:14:07 PM »

Quote from: ASaffron on May 08, 2012, 12:10:27 PM

Quote from: Cookie Monster on May 08, 2012, 11:27:54 AM
Here's one of my favorites: the brown thrasher singing from my keitt mango tree.

Brown Thrasher 0

One of these birds was very aggressive with me yesterday Cookiemonster!

It tried to attack me several times...I've never had a bird do this.

Apparently my back yard is a perfect habitat for this Brown Thrasher.

Fruit orchard with tall grass!

It probably has a nest in the vicinity.

HMHausman · « **Reply #23 on:** May 08, 2012, 12:21:23 PM »

Quote from: ASaffron on May 08, 2012, 12:10:27 PM

One of these birds was very aggressive with me yesterday Cookiemonster!

It tried to attack me several times...I've never had a bird do this.

Apparently my back yard is a perfect habitat for this Brown Thrasher.

Fruit orchard with tall grass!

I have had these attack when they nest nearby. But the champion attack bird is our own state bird, the mockingbird. They will dive bomb cats or humans or other birds that come anywhere near their nests or babies.

I have enjoyed this year's winter birds that have come to my bird feeder. We get several pairs of painted buntings every winter.

And this year we were visited for about two weeks by a couple paiur of Indigo Buntings.

Now, in the past three or so days, all the Buntings are gone and this morning I had 6 squirrels chowing down. Yikes!

Harry

Cookie Monster · « **Reply #24 on:** May 08, 2012, 12:35:28 PM »

The brown thrasher loves mulch and leaves where it forages for food and low shrubbery where it makes its nest. Once we mulched the backyard, we started seeing them year after year. They are aggressive, but not nearly as aggressive as the mockingbird. The blue jays are also fairly aggressive. I like the blue jays because they will defend other birds when predators (eg, hawks) are attacking. You need to have some huevos to do that :-)

Tropicalgrower89 · « **Reply #25 on:** May 08, 2012, 12:53:26 PM »

Quote from: Cookie Monster on May 08, 2012, 12:35:28 PM

The brown thrasher loves mulch and leaves where it forages for food and low shrubbery where it makes its nest. Once we mulched the backyard, we started seeing them year after year. They are aggressive, but not nearly as aggressive as the mockingbird. The blue jays are also fairly aggressive. I like the blue jays because they will defend other birds when predators (eg, hawks) are attacking. You need to have some huevos to do that :-)

Jeff, I've walked close to mocking bird nests before and they've never attacked me even though there were in my own yard. They do remember who attacks them and who doesn't. For example, I've seen them chase away crows, but don't mind having pigeons/doves within the area of their nests. I've gotten close to their nests (4 ft from it) and they never attack. I guess it's because I've been very close to their nests and never threatened them before. I like mocking birds, except when they are making their calls throughout the night.

lol

Cookie Monster · « **Reply #26 on:** May 08, 2012, 01:33:06 PM »

Yah, they don't always attack humans. They will divebomb you, flying really close to your head. It's funny to watch them divebomb cats :-).

Quote from: Tropicalgrower89 on May 08, 2012, 12:53:26 PM

Jeff, I've walked close to mocking bird nests before and they've never attacked me even though there were in my own yard. They do remember who attacks them and who doesn't. For example, I've seen them chase away crows, but don't mind having pigeons/doves within the area of their nests. I've gotten close to their nests (4 ft from it) and they never attack. I guess it's because I've been very close to their nests and never threatened them before. I like mocking birds, except when they are making their calls throughout the night. lol

FloridaGreenMan · « **Reply #27 on:** May 08, 2012, 07:07:52 PM »

I have been "dive bombed" many times in my yard by Mockingbirds. They are very protective!

FLnative · « **Reply #28 on:** May 10, 2012, 08:21:34 AM »

Quote from: BMc on May 07, 2012, 07:55:44 PM

Mike, a few folk up north said after the cyclone they were hand feeding them! As it took out a lot of the native food trees, as well as orchards, they were quite happy to come to peoples doors and beg for food. They still took out any agro dogs. As long as you left them an escape route they wouldnt slice your throat open.

Jungle Island, a zoo in Miami has a Cassowary bird, claiming it is the only one used in a show in the world. Besides walking around the bird will jump vertically 6 feet to swallow an apple whole.

Mike T · « **Reply #29 on:** May 10, 2012, 09:05:54 AM »

FLnative the one in the picture is called the southern casswary which is the biggest species and also is in new guinea where there is another 2 species.The australian subspecies is the biggest kind of southern cassowary being 90 to 190lbs or thereabouts.Most of the zoos have them around here and they are hard to keep because they often kill other animals housed with them.They eat small animals,fungi and mostly fruit.They can sure jump,kick,slash and cut as well as swallow very big fruit whole like M&M's.There aren't very many left.

FLnative · « **Reply #30 on:** May 10, 2012, 10:53:45 AM »

Mike T. Jungle Island (formerly called parrot jungle) most likely has the same species since they catalogue it third largest bird in the world, however, they have named a Double-Wattled Cassowary. It looked the same to me. Jungle Island also notes: it has been reported that Cassowaries are solely responsible for the spread and propagation of up to 80 tree species.

http://www.jungleisland.com/public/attractions/birds/

The most dangerous creature I had in my yard was a coral snake. Again, probably mild compared to snakes potentially in your garden.

FLnative · « **Reply #31 on:** May 10, 2012, 12:17:25 PM »

A few pictures taken today, couple anoles hanging on the cable behind my house, along with an empty mockingbird’s nest in my tomato plant. Although I wasn’t harassed, I got to admit I was scouting for the owners before picking tomatoes until realizing it is empty. Apparently, the windy weather tipping the plant somewhat maybe discouraged them, or blue jays foraged it.

natsgarden123 · « **Reply #32 on:** May 10, 2012, 06:37:57 PM »

These guys are back here in all different colors

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Author Topic: Latest Backyard creature (Read 10159 times)

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