The Cute Animal Pics/Videos Thread

[Arcadia]

OMG, I've had two pileated woodpeckers arguing with each other outside my window for the last 20 minutes. Somebody please shoot me. Or them.

 

Sounds like this ("wuk" series), only continuous. And in stereo.

 

[Pseudonym]

How close are they? Can you stick your head out and make a loud noise?

[Arcadia]

One was on the tree branch about 4 feet from the window, the other I couldn't see but was nearby. Can't stick my head out because of screens on the window, but apparently my presence has been noticed, as they have moved deeper into the woods. I was in another room when I first started hearing them and it wasn't until I came in here that I realized just how truly annoying they were. Geez, I just wanted to relax for a few minutes....

 

I had one carrying on like that a few years ago, I finally went out and threw a rock at it. It worked! He/she didn't come back! Normally I like to leave the wild critters alone, but really, this was too much....

[Pseudonym]

Lol, woodpecker, enjoying a good debate, looks up and sees you standing in the window, glaring menacingly through the screen. Retreats into the woods in terror. 

[Pseudonym]

And this seems even more apt than before - does this resemble your expression by any chance?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I had one carrying on like that a few years ago, I finally went out and threw a rock at it. It worked! He/she didn't come back! Normally I like to leave the wild critters alone, but really, this was too much....

 

Just don't hit the birdie, and that sounds good.  Or you might try waving your arms and yelling "Booga booga!"

 

I use the rock technique on dogs who menace me when I'm talking a walk.  All I have to do is pitch a little pebble at 'em, and they (usually) run off with their tail between their legs.  Typical bullies!

[Arcadia]

Don't worry, my aim's not that good. Although I gave it my best. ;)

 

Trust me, shouting at them doesn't work, I've tried. They're too high up in the tree to care, maybe. But send a projectile their way and they seem to get the message. :d

[Pseudonym]

If it was a regular occurrence I'm suggest maybe getting a water pistol. 

 

I can't get my head around having screens on the windows, no screens in this house, no siree...

[Carol the Dabbler]

Have you no flies? No mosquitos? No nasty big beetles that are attracted to lighted windows in early summer? Or do you keep your windows closed year-round?

 

Me, I love fresh air, in season. Plus the screens seem to be enough of a cushion to protect any birds that crash into our windows.

[T.o.b.y]

I always wonder how Germans can stand not having screens on the windows either. And they think I am a crazy American for putting them up as soon as anything starts buzzing outside. But I can't stand sleeping with the windows closed and I also get huge itchy welts from mosquito bites. Then, air conditioning is not common here either (and I don't like using it anyway) so open windows are the only option for cooling the rooms down sometimes.

 

Right now the screens are still up because they keep at least some of the spiders out. Husband asked the other day when I would be willing to take them down and I hissed: When all arachnids have either died or gone into hibernation!

[Pseudonym]

I don't know anyone with screens on their windows, not really a thing here. And no, we don't really have mosquitoes (well, I googled it and the ones we have apparently chow down on birds rather than people, and aren't known to transmit any infections). We have midges, which are little biting flies, but they don't get into the house much. British house spiders, which are the ones I am particularly terrified of, live in houses year round and actually die when they're outside so screens won't do anything to keep them out. We're also in a fairly cold climate, it's rarely hot enough to have to have the windows open, though the ones in my bathroom and spare room are always open a bit and I don't get anything dastardly crawling in. Worst thing are probably daddy long legs in summer, but they only get in if you have the window wide and a light on. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

You're colder than London, then? I love sleeping there, with the hotel-room window open a bit. Come to think of it, we do the same thing in Colwyn Bay. American hotels rarely have windows that open at all, so the little fresh-air panels on British hotel windows are a real treat. I don't recall whether they have screens or not, but I don't recall ever having any insects come in.

[Pseudonym]

The same as London.

That's to do with fresh air more than temperature though, right? Though I'd think hotels on the whole are probably a bit warmer than a house. 

I don't say it's too cold to open the windows, just it's not hot enough to need to. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Mostly for the fresh air (some places we've stayed are a bit musty) but also we like the room slightly cool for sleeping. We've only been there in summer and late spring, so it's never been really cold outside, though it's often pretty chilly.

[Arcadia]

Gah, even with screens and windows closed we get plenty of creepy crawlies. Warm, humid climate, ugh. I actually had to turn the a/c back on last week just to keep the house from mildewing. It wasn't that hot, but the humidity was extreme.

 

We'd also get bigger critters if we had no screens. Bats, squirrels, mice, birds, snakes, stray cats, luna moths... I opened the back door once and a dog ran in. Poor thing, it was lost and sooooo happy to find a human.... 

 

However ... many years ago, my brother was living in a hotel in Washington DC, and I went and spent a couple nights there, and discovered there were no screens on the windows. I figured the mosquitoes would eat me alive but not a one bothered me. So maybe it's different in the city? Or maybe we were too high up for mosquitoes, now that I think of it. You'd still think he'd get birds visiting, though. Although my brother would've loved that, he would have left food out for them.

[Pseudonym]

I clicked on the luna moth link and though 'aw, they're strangely beautiful' then I saw it perched on the guy's hand and realised the size. Hell no. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

They probably spray for mosquitos in DC. Built on a swamp, wasn't it? And heaven forbid that a politician would have to scratch an itch!

[Arcadia]

I clicked on the luna moth link and though 'aw, they're strangely beautiful' then I saw it perched on the guy's hand and realised the size. Hell no. 

 

I've only seen one in person once, and they are indeed strangely beautiful. And magical. And large.

 

They probably spray for mosquitos in DC. Built on a swamp, wasn't it? And heaven forbid that a politician would have to scratch an itch!

 

The politicians don't actually live there, y'know. Or, I suspect, ever go outside there.

 

I don't know if the city sprays, but I read recently that mosquito control companies have been doing a booming business since the Zika virus scare. Urgh. Lord I hate a mosquito.

[Arcadia]

This keeps popping up on my news feed: 36 panda cubs at once.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbKc8UdCQI

[Fantasy Lover]

36? I thought pandas didn't breed much.

 

ETA

 

I clicked on the luna moth link and though 'aw, they're strangely beautiful' then I saw it perched on the guy's hand and realised the size. Hell no.

I'd rather have that on my hand then a camel spider, or a huntsman spider, or a tarantula, or a black widow or just any big, poisonous spider *shudder*

[Pseudonym]

Oh God, yea me too. I had a huge house spider in my fringe once, which I still haven't quite recovered from. 

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I'd rather have [a luna moth] on my hand then a camel spider, or a huntsman spider, or a tarantula, or a black widow or just any big, poisonous spider *shudder*

If it's any consolation to you, the black widows I've seen are actually pretty small. Just, you know, poisonous. (Not usually fatal, though.)

 

I had a huge house spider in my fringe once, which I still haven't quite recovered from.

 

Translation for my fellow non-Brits: "fringe" is British for what Americans call "bangs" -- the short hair that hangs down over one's forehead. And yeah, think I'd freak too. I like spiders just fine, but preferably at a certain distance.

[Pseudonym]

I was looking in the mirror, trying to figure out why my fringe was moving. A breeze? No. What is going on? What...? *Sees legs* *SCREAMS*

[Carol the Dabbler]

Sounds like me trying to figure out (without my glasses) what that dark blob on my washcloth was. Only worse.

[Pseudonym]

Not good. A colleague of mine once told me that she took a drink from a glass of water in the night and got a spider in her mouth. :O