Animal Life Sightings

[Detroitej72]

I concur with PETA being a radical liberal organization....one of your finest.

Unlike neo-cons, I point out all radical organizations, and call out their stupidity as such.

[Jimaz]

Twice this Winter, late at night, I've noticed an animal whose silhouette [[against the snow) I didn't recognize. After searching the internet, I now think it was a muskrat. It had a long tail and kind of a hunchback.

It looked like this muskrat while walking at a steady pace:

Does anyone know of any other nocturnal animal that might be mistaken for a muskrat? I'm just trying to confirm this sighting.

I won't be able to check the tracks because that snow has melted.

[Johnnny5]

Twice this Winter, late at night, I've noticed an animal whose silhouette [[against the snow) I didn't recognize. After searching the internet, I now think it was a muskrat. It had a long tail and kind of a hunchback.

It looked like this muskrat while walking at a steady pace:

Does anyone know of any other nocturnal animal that might be mistaken for a muskrat? I'm just trying to confirm this sighting.

I won't be able to check the tracks because that snow has melted.

Opossums look very similar and are active even in the Winter. Is there any water around where you saw the critter? If not, an Opossum is more likely as Muskrats will rarely wander very far from water. Or maybe even a very large rat?

[Jimaz]

... Is there any water around where you saw the critter?...

Yes, the Clinton River, real close. It didn't look as fat as an opossum, whose snout I would have recognized. No hint of white in the coat.

I'll watch for mud tracks this Spring. The opossum's are unique and I've learned the muskrat's tracks are unique because it drags its tail.

It was too large to be a large rat.

Okay, thanks. I'll keep an eye out for more clues.

[Jimaz]

Live Eagle Cam

Bird’s Eye View: Thousands Watching Live Eagle Cam For Egg To Hatch

BEULAH, Mich. [[WWJ) – A live eagle cam that shows a pair of nesting bald eagles at the Platte River State Fish Hatchery in northern Michigan is taking the state by storm.

Ed Eisch, DNR fish production manager, said a pair of eagles have been using a particular nest for the past few years, so they set up a camera to capture their every moment. And just last weekend, the female laid an egg.

“The nest is probably 85 or 100 feet off the ground and the camera sits about probably 8 or 10 feet above that and right now it’s trained on the nest and there is at least one egg in the nest right now that’s being incubated by the eagles,” Eisch told WWJ’s Beth Fisher.

Eisch said the eagles will take turns sitting on the egg, which should hatch within 35 days.

“There will be times where they’ll leave the egg alone, they don’t have to be on it 24/7, but generally speaking there’s at least one that’s sitting in the nest on the egg and the other is out hunting and foraging and bringing back food for the eagle that’s sitting on the egg,” he said.

After hatching, the eaglet will spend 10 to 12 weeks in the nest before facing the world on its own.

I hope today's high winds don't damage it!

[G-DDT]

Not far from where I stay, there is an area off Military on Long Blvd. that has fancy homes and some of them are far removed from the average distance to the sidewalk. It is not far from the Country Clubs, and wooded Rouge Area, and where the homecoming is held. Collections of deer will placidly amble about there [[even in the afternoon), around the medians, and then over to the lawns of the recessed houses to congregate and graze.