chasing the mole

It's rare to see a mole above ground.  But recently I saw this guy skittering across the yard and diving below some leaves.  I MUST see him, MUST get a photo. So the chase was on.  Poor thing was probably so traumatized.  But it was amazing. Amazing how fast they can tunnel underground.  At one point I had him trapped between my feet, but he just started digging under my shoe!  Impressive!  Did you know they SQUEAK when provoked? I didn't but I found out. It startled me...then sent me into a fit of laughter.  

I'm hoping this video will work.

Here is the one decent still photo I got of him above ground.  He was quick!

Here he is trying to burrow under my left foot.

We've been enjoying some mild weather recently. A little colder today but still tolerable as long as the sun keeps appearing.  Oddly enough what's missing is the birds.  I don't remember ever it being this quiet in the yard in November.  Maybe a new feeding spot opened up. Maybe the hawk is unnerving them, but it hasn't had that effect other years. I shouldn't complain, they can be costly to feed when they are at their full numbers.  But I do miss them.  The blue jays have been making their daily stop, making a racket if the peanuts aren't out yet.  But it's only once a day, if that, rather then hanging around.  I seem to be a stopover for now. 

I was looking out my kitchen window, that faces my hoarder of a neighbor.  The front of his place looks like a junk yard. So how is it that there's a wren over there, merrily hopping around all the debris and chaos when I have full feeders here for them :D  We just had some rain, so I'm sure there are plenty of bugs hidden among all the junk. The Carolina wren would find that enticing.

The number of ducks has been fluctuating greatly. I know that will change as it gets colder. Some days there's been more ducks then I can count. And they try to get me to feed them a second time. (yes once in awhile I succumb but not always!) Other days there's only a few here when I get home, with a few more arriving after me to make for a dozen or so ducks.

The other days wind and rain knocked most of the leaves off my tree the other day.  The wind has kept them all pushed onto my porch and against the house. It is starting to look a bit drab out there.

A few random photos.

I took the two tree photos leaving work the other morning.

Cardinal with a wind blown crest.