Rascal Update

Back in September, I introduced you to Rascal - a male lab-boxer mix - adopted from the rescue center. Today, someone asked how he made out. So here is Rascal in September...
...and here is Rascal 4 months later...
...and here he is just another 2 months later.
As you might imagine, Rascal needs - or is that demands - lots of exercise each day. His favorite place is Fort Woof - a Ft Worth, Texas, dog park.

Rascal's owners are getting married this weekend, but he did not make the trip to Northern Virginia. His cousin and famous squirrel chaser, LuLu, however, did make the trip back home. Lu is still chasing squirrels.

Meet Rascal

The next time that I report wildlife from Texas, you can expect to see more of this young pup. This is Rascal, a male lab-boxer mix.
He was adopted from the Fort Worth Humane Society and is officially 2 months old as of yesterday. Looking at those paws - well - can you say large boy?

Readership Up Nearly 100% in Two Months - Now Includes Readers from 153 Cities in 38 Countries

Since the Colvin Run Habitat Blog was started, 143 stories have been posted. Since October 9 when I began counting, 865 unique visitors from 153 cities in 38 countries on 6 continents have stopped by and read 2390 pages. Two months ago, the numbers were 101 postings and 1230 pages read by, 487 unique visitors from 86 cities, in 27 countries, on 6 continents stopped by and read 1230 pages. If you are interested in seeing a map of reader locations, you can click on the world map on the bottom of the right hand column or go to a shared Microsoft Live Search Map showing Colvin Run visitors (which does not show all of the North American cities yet).
During the last two months, the Colvin Run Habitat Blog has appeared on several first pages of search returns for Google, Yahoo, and other search engines. For example, search on 'red-tailed fox' on Google. Also, the photos from the Blog have been made available independent of the blog postings. You can always see the photos by clicking on the Colvin Run Photo Archive photo at the top of the right hand column.
As you can see from today's last photo, the Colvin Run Habitat enjoys visitors who clearly do not read the blog. This is Coco, my favorite dog in Virginia, who if let loose will follow his nose to the most recent resting place of the fox.

To all of you readers, many thanks. To all who have posted the link to the Colvin Run Habitat Blog on your blog, a special thanks.

A Little Christmas Fun in the Habitat

I asked two of the Habitat’s animals to pose for a Christmas picture.
In this first photo, the famous squirrel chaser was captured in her ‘gay apparel’ after eating a Christmas cookie.

In the second photo, I asked one of the cardinals to have her picture taken in front of the Christmas tree. This is the best I could do at getting the cardinal and the tree together (note the red ornament from on the tree). The window bird feeder and the Christmas tree are separated only by a pane of glass.

New Squirrel Chaser in Town

Stories and photos about the premier squirrel chaser in the Colvin Run Habitat – the Red Fox – are frequent in this blog. Well, a new squirrel chaser has come to town. Visiting the Habitat for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays is a toy poodle (who goes by the name of LuLu). Barely larger than any of the Habitat’s gray squirrels, this little dog loves to chase the squirrels.

Please do not worry; she is not able to catch them. And, while the squirrels run when she appears, I suspect that even the squirrels are thinking, “should she be chasing us, or should we be chasing her?”

Just as when they are chased by the fox, the squirrels head for the nearest tree, typically the well photographed Dogwood. Unlike the fox, this little dog is not interested in the squirrels once they are up the tree. Also, unlike with the fox, the squirrels are a bit bolder in their behavior with this dog. As soon as the dog is 10 feet from the tree, the squirrels will jump from about 12 feet up (wow, have we seen some interesting jumps and landings) and take off running for another more comfortable tree. In the second photo, she has chased two squirrels up the tree.

When not actually out chasing the squirrels, the toy poodle keeps watch at the top of the living room chair or naps on the sofa.


And, yes, as soon as the dog is back in the house, the squirrels are back eating sunflower seeds dropped by the ground.

Shay Visits

Yesterday, I mentioned that I knew the hawk was in the Habitat because I heard the crows squawking. Many animals make sounds to warn of another animals approach. Today, Shay, a mixed bred dog who visits once or twice a month, stopped by. As you can see from the second photo, she is always ready, indeed eager, to play.
Shay spends most of here time in a fenced in yard about 80 yards away from the bird feeders in the Habitat. Over the last summer, I learned that if Shay, and her yard mate Jack, were barking, there was a great possibility that a fox was nearby. I learned that if I heard Shay and Jack barking to run and get the camera. And, if I heard them a second time, the fox was making his exit.

Of course, the foxes know that Shay and Jack are fenced in, so they simply come and go at their leasure.

Thanks to Shay for being a great Habitat observer.